• The vehicles, valued at more than 6.5 million euros and originating from North America, arrived at the port in containers bound for the African continent.

October 28, 2025.- The Risk Analysis Unit (ULAR), composed of Customs Surveillance officers from the Tax Agency and Civil Guards from the Fiscal and Border Company of the Port of Algeciras, has intercepted 117 stolen vehicles originating from North America in the last six months.

As a result of the analysis, control, identification, and inspection of containers destined for or in transit in Spain, which the ULAR carries out daily at the port of Algeciras terminal, researchers detected an increase in the number of vehicles shipped from North America to Africa.

Last April, 16 stolen vehicles from Canada were recovered, and special surveillance was established, leading to the detection of another 85 stolen vehicles, all from the same country.

The vehicles are stolen and transported in maritime containers across the Atlantic Ocean. Their end-use is Africa, where international mafias modify them to reintroduce them into the market.

International cooperation has been fundamental in these actions, highlighting the collaboration with the liaison in Algeciras belonging to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has maintained constant contact with authorities in the United States and Canada, ensuring the flow of information in both directions. This collaboration has enabled the detection of vehicles at the last strategic checkpoint before crossing the Strait.

Luxurious SUVs and sports cars

The value of the seized vehicles exceeds €6.5 million, which has dealt a blow to the network dedicated to international trafficking of stolen vehicles. The seized models include luxury SUVs and sports cars from numerous brands, including Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet Corvette, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes Benz, and Toyota.

The vehicles have been returned to their countries of origin via maritime containers to be delivered to their rightful owners.