The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has cautioned Ghanaians and car dealers to be extra vigilant when purchasing certain brands of vehicles, following an uptick in stolen cars trafficked into the country.
“There are certain types of vehicles that are suspicious. For instance, the Honda CR-V series, the Ford F-150, the Range Rover, and I think the Dodge Ram.
“These are four brands that are very high in terms of the number of stolen vehicles that we recover,” an EOCO official disclosed.
“Most of them happen to be these vehicles. So, obviously, if you are going to purchase one of those vehicles, that should be a red flag for you.”
Interpol has previously flagged Ghana as a lucrative hub for stolen vehicles, particularly those originating from Canada and the United States.
EOCO’s ongoing investigations appear to confirm this trend, revealing that the bulk of intercepted stolen cars in recent months fall under these four brands.
The official stressed that car buyers should be especially wary when purchasing newer models that appear too good to be true.
“If you look at one of those vehicles that was recently released, maybe a 2023 model, 2024 model, which is accident-free, it should be a red flag for you.
“That should point you to doing extra—for instance, go to Interpol to find out whether or not that car’s status is stolen,” he advised.
While Honda CR-Vs, Ford F-150s, Range Rovers, and Dodge Rams are at the top of EOCO’s watch list, the office maintains that other popular brands have also been targeted.
“Would you go after a Toyota Corolla, for instance? Yes. We’ve gone after a couple of Toyota Highlanders and Honda Accords. So, it’s not like we have a preference,” the EOCO official explained.
