MADRID: Spanish police said on Monday they had seized 24 luxury cars at a southern port, including Porsches and Cadillacs, which had been stolen in the United States and were likely bound for Africa.
Spain’s Guardia Civil police force said in a statement that they had for the past year been investigating signs the southern port of Algeciras was being used to traffic luxury vehicles stolen from the United States.
The luxury vehicles, including high-end jeeps and Aston Martins, were found in containers that arrived on different days last month, a police spokesman said.
Police said they suspect the cars, seized as part of their operation “American Stuff,” were meant to be sent to African countries.
The 24 vehicles are worth over 2.0 million euros ($2.1 million) and they have since been returned to the United States, the statement added Global police agency Interpol says stolen vehicles are often trafficked to finance and carry out other criminal activities, ranging from drug trafficking to arms dealing and people smuggling.
Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2023
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