Three stolen vehicles valued at over $150,000 have been intercepted by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in a shipping container bound for Ghana.
According to US port officials, the container was headed for Ghana, one of the key destinations in the global used vehicle trade.
In a video widely circulating on social media and sighted by GhanaWeb Business, the container was flagged after port officers noticed discrepancies between the shipping documents and the actual contents.
The container was found to contain three high-end vehicles, including a 1990s Lincoln and other luxury cars.
Derek Lytle, a member of the CBP’s outbound enforcement team, was involved in the inspection that led to the discovery.
“When the container doors were opened, three cars intended for shipment to Ghana were pulled out, and we immediately identified them as stolen,” Lytle reported.
CBP reports that in 2025 alone, stolen vehicles worth an estimated $6.5 million have been intercepted at the Port of Virginia, with all of them reportedly destined for West Africa.
CBP Chief James Askew elaborated on the methods used by these criminal networks.
“From the X-ray of the container, it was clear that the vehicles did not match the manifest,” Askew stated.
He explained that smugglers often attempt to pack as many vehicles as possible into containers, typically fitting about four, to maximise their illicit profits.
“We’re dealing with dealerships, rental cars that are not returned, and vehicles purchased using fraudulent identification. These vehicles are being exported despite having a lien,” Askew detailed how these vehicles are acquired.
Ghana has long been a major hub for second-hand goods, particularly vehicles imported from the US, Europe, and Asia.
While Ghana has not been directly linked to the theft, the countrys high demand for imported vehicles has made it an attractive route for scammers and criminal syndicates using its ports to facilitate illicit operations.
Watch the video below