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May 31, 2023, all vehicle dealers and individuals who have any of the 95 luxury vehicles suspected to have been stolen and smuggled into Ghana, which has been frozen through a court order, have been directed by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to hand them over to the office. Failure to comply with this directive will cause facing legal consequences.
EOCO has also instructed those possessing the said vehicles to report to EOCO along with all the documents. If the individuals cannot respond to the directive by May 31, 2023, EOCO has stated they will take legal steps to confiscate the vehicles per the law.
EOCO has frozen these vehicles based on a court order obtained by the Executive Director of EOCO, Commissioner of Police Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, under section 33 of the EOCO Act, 2010 (Act 804). EOCO has already identified the vehicles and the addresses of those possessing them.
The background of this action dates back to December 2022, when EOCO, in partnership with the FBI of the United States of America (USA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) of Canada, carried out an intelligence-led operation to retrieve stolen vehicles suspected to have been shipped from the USA and Canada. The operation was conducted because of reports on the activities of suspected criminals.
During the joint operation, officers visited various garages in Accra, including Dzorwulu, Dimples, North Kaneshie, East Legon, Accra Central near the Movenpick Hotel, Dzorwulu roundabout near the Fiesta Royal Hotel, and the Trinity Theological Seminary. Thirty-seven vehicles were retrieved from these garages, and ten persons were arrested during the operation.
EOCO has determined that these vehicles are part of approximately 400 vehicles believed to have been stolen from Canada and the USA.
The luxury vehicles retrieved include BMW X7 and X5, Jeep Wrangler, Mercedes Benz S-class, Mercedes Benz GLE, Mercedes Benz G, Audi SS, Range Rover LNDR, Jonder Odyssey, Benz 5350, Honda Accord, Lexus RX, Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, and Acura RDX.
In February, EOCO got a court order to seize the vehicles suspected of being stolen and smuggled into Ghana and to prevent anyone from disposing of them. Now, EOCO has directed the vehicle dealers and individuals possessing these frozen vehicles to hand them over before May 31, 2023, or face legal consequences.
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Source: Omanghana.com
