How you fit avoid buying stolen cars to prevent Police, FBI eagle eyes

For di last one month, di US Federal Bureau of Investigation don dey pursue pipo for Ghana and oda African kontris wey dey use stolen cars.

Dis cars dey linked to wetin dem describe as 'proceeds of crime' by pipo for di US, Canada and oda European kontris.

Di investigation agency don dey work wit di Economic and Organised Crime Office (Eoco) for Ghana wey dem gbab dancehall musician Shatta Wale say im get one of dis alleged stolen cars.

Na so dem bin seize one yellow 2019 brand of Lamborghini Urus from di musician wey dem dey try return am to di US as part of restitution by one Ghanaian Nana Kwabena Amuah wey dey serve 7-year jail term for US.

Plenty stolen luxury cars from US and Canada end up for Ghana

For 2023, di Economic and Organised Crime Office (Eoco) bin order say make pipo return 95 luxury cars wey dem steal from di US and Canada.

Oga for di crime agency at di time give pipo up to 31 May 2023 deadline to return di stolen luxury cars otherwise dem go seize dem.

Eoco at di time secure court order to freeze all di stolen cars, wia dem publish di list of di 95 luxury cars dem bin dey pursue.

Police retrieve 43 high-value stolen luxury cars between January and July 2025

Ghana bin dey ontop di FBI, Interpol radar for di last few months as dem dey trace dis luxury cars.

Ghana police thru dia CID say dem retrieve 43 of dis stolen luxury cars between January and July 2025 alone.

For one press conference, CID boss, COP Lydia Donkor tok for one press conference on 4 August 2025 say "di investigation show dis criminal networks dey linked to oda serious transnational crimes wey include money laundering, insurance fraud, identity theft and visa card fraud".

Di 43 cars wey dem recover dey from at least seven kontris - Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Canada, US, Germany, Italy and France.

Interpol wey do operation wey dem dey call "operation safe wheels" for 12 kontris across Africa between late 2024 and early 2025, show say Ghana don become destination for stolen cars from Canada and Europe, wia dem flag 150 cars for dat operation alone.

"Out of di 43 cars, we don finish investigation for 18 wia di court don issue order to return dem to dia kontris."

Di police boss COP Donkor add say "we don return eight of dis cars already, di 10 odas dey di process wey di case of 25 odas still dey pending for various courts".

Eoco dey pursue ogbonge luxury car brands afta dem seize Shatta Wale Lamborghini

Even bifor dem go end di investigation for di Shatta Wale saga, Eoco say dem get some oda cars on top dia list wey dey raise suspicion.

Dis brands na Honda CR-Vs, Ford F-150 pickups, Range Rover and Dodge models.

Head of legal and prosecution for Eoco Leo Antony Siamah tok say "apart from dis brands we dey pursue odas wey include Toyota Highlander and Honda Accord cars".

Im add say Eoco bin dey collaborate wit international agencies to retrieve dis stolen cars.

"Statistics dey show say ova 10,000 'stolen cars' bin dey enta di kontri evri year, na worrying mata, but we dey deal wit am," im tok for local network TV3.

Wetin to do to avoid buying stolen cars

Economic Organised Crime Office (Eoco) head of legal and prosecution oga Leo Antony Siamah give some tips wey you fit follow to avoid buying stolen cars.

- Make you check VIN of di car

To identify if car na stolen car, make una check di vehicle identification number (VIN).

Dis na 17-pin digit combination of capital letters and numbers; specific code for dat car.

You fit find dis number for different places for di car - di dashboard, di floor on di driver side, di trunk, for di door handle, di engine bay or left side of di instrument panel.

Di VIN get record of di history of di car, di model, di previous owners, cases of accident and service repairs.

Some online platforms fit help you check VIN of di car or govment agencies wey dey responsible for registration of cars.

For Ghana, dis na di driver and vehicle licensing authority (DVLA).

Scammers fit scratch di numbers to hide di original VIN and stamp fake ones, so make una open eye well.

- Double-check if di car dey too new

Oga Siamah say if una dey buy fresh 2023 or 2024 car model for Ghana, make una check and check well.

"To dey buy newer models of accident-free cars, you for do due diligence since di Ghana market traditionally bin dey deal wit salvaged or accident-damage imports."

Im add say "pipo fit check wit Interpol to find out weda di car na stolen car or not".

Eoco, police, oda organisations for di US fit help you check di status of di car bifor you buy.

- Look out for cheap deals

Anoda way to begin to suspect say car you dey buy get questions, be if di car dey too cheap.

Most criminal groups like to sell di cars quick quick - na so dem dey reduce di price below market value.

If you notice say di price of di car bin dey below di market value, na red flag, make you open eye well.

- If di car get only one key, na red flag

"No pesin go sell new car to you wit only one key; make you shine your eye", Siamah tok.

Im also advise say some fraudsters bin dey go around using di name of Eoco say dem fit clean 'stolen car details'.

"Eoco neva dey send individuals to recover stolen cars, make una check di IDs of any pesin wey come your house say dem be from Eoco; we dey use search warrants to do our work."

Eoco also warn say "make una open eye if sombodi give you luxury car to keep for your house or im say make you maintain am, chances be say na stolen car wey im wan hide am."

- Inspect di car documents

Pesin wey be genuine seller of di car get di original registration certificate, title papers and oda custom clearance papers.

Make you demand dis car documents and check dem well bifor you decide to buy.

In fact, Eoco tok for di Shatta Wale case for example say di customs clearance certificate wey di musician don produce get di name of di Ghanaian Nana Kwabena Amuah wey dey serve 7-year jail term for di US for fraud.

Dis na wetin di crime office tok say dia work togeda wit FBI trace di car to 'proceeds of crime' wey dey linked to dis convict.

- Use trusted car dealerships/police-approved sales points

To avoid any wahala wit Interpol, FBI and di police CID, pipo dey advised to do business wit trusted car dealers.

Make you find some of dis sales points and car dealers bifor you buy your car.

Dis approved sales points no go sell stolen car.

You fit carry mechanic or sabi pesin wey you trust to dis dealership to buy di car.

E dey easy for such sabi pesin to spot VIN plates wey dem bin forge or oda car parts wey never dey match.