Following the recent revelation that over 100 stolen cars from the US have been traced to Ghana, the Vehicle and Assets Dealers Union of Ghana (VADUG) has distanced its members from wrongdoing.
The union insists that responsibility lies with Customs authorities at Ghana’s ports, who are mandated to thoroughly vet all vehicles before clearance.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday, Frank Atanley Kofigah, Executive Secretary of VADUG, said dealers are being unfairly implicated.
“The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority are the gatekeepers to ensure that these vehicles do not even get into this country in the first place. The theft did not happen here; it happened in another jurisdiction,” Kofigah stressed.
Kofigah explained that once a vehicle passes through Customs, Preventive Services, and National Security checks at the port, dealers assume it is legitimate.
“If someone offers me a Lamborghini for $150,000, I can only assume it has been properly cleared once Customs has issued the necessary documents. That is my proof of safety. I cannot go beyond that,” he explained.
He added that dealers have limited tools to detect stolen cars before clearance, relying mainly on VIN checks and car history reports. Until recently, most dealers were unaware that INTERPOL’s global platform or EOCO’s VIN verification desk could be used to validate a vehicle’s authenticity.
According to Kofigah, only Customs has the legal mandate and advanced systems required to stop stolen vehicles from entering the Ghanaian market.
“We as a Union cannot conduct those checks. The only agency mandated with that responsibility is Customs, and they have the systems to prevent such vehicles from entering the country,” he emphasized.
The issue of stolen vehicles in Ghana has gained heightened attention following the recent case involving dancehall star Shatta Wale. His Lamborghini Urus was seized by authorities after US counterparts flagged it as part of an international stolen car investigation.
Shatta Wale was briefly detained as part of ongoing inquiries, bringing the matter into the public spotlight and sparking debate about gaps in Ghana’s vehicle import system.
With over 100 vehicles traced so far, the scandal underscores the urgent need for closer collaboration between Customs, EOCO, INTERPOL, and car dealers to protect Ghana’s auto market from becoming a hub for stolen vehicles.
The Vehicle and Assets Dealers Union says it is ready to work with authorities but insists the first line of defence lies at the ports, not with dealers.
