Stolen cars from US are being hidden in shipping containers and sent overseas, feds say

Chances of recovering a stolen car may be tougher than you think, after federal agents discovered some high-end vehicles stolen in the Eastern U.S. are being shipped to buyers overseas.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection found 18 stolen vehicles valued at $1.1 million were “outbound” in shipping containers at ports in Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, according to an April 24 news release.

And that’s just the latest example. In 2023, officials reported recovering 59 vehicles in much the same manner, with a collective value of $7.5 million.

“In some cases, the victims did not know that a crime was occurring until they were contacted by CBP officers,” customs officials said in the release.

“Some of the vehicles were obtained from car dealerships using fraudulent identities and stolen credit cards, while others were reserved via fraud and later stolen from rental car companies.”

The 18 recovered vehicles included “sedans, luxury sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and a 2023 Bentley,” and they were bound for countries like Ghana, Libya, Jordan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates, officials said.

The vehicles were taken from owners in Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Michigan.

No arrests were announced. Investigators linked the pipeline to “Transnational Criminal Organizations,” with the profits aiding “criminal enterprises both foreign and domestic.”

“The recovered stolen vehicles were turned over to the Georgia Port Authority Police and South Carolina Law Enforcement Divisions for final disposition,” federal officials said.

This story was originally published April 25, 2024 at 5:54 AM with the headline "Stolen cars from US are being hidden in shipping containers and sent overseas, feds say."