BALTIMORE, Md. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Baltimore Field Office recovered hundreds of stolen vehicles being exported overseas during 2025.
Officers found 307 vehicles at seaports between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Norfolk, Virginia valued at a total of $14.5 million during the 2025 fiscal year, according to the field office.
They discovered that the stolen vehicles were destined to be transported to countries in West Africa and Southwest Asia.
Officers scan shipping containers and match the contents with the ships manifest and compare vehicle documentation and identification numbers to determine if vehicles are stolen. They also cross reference the vehicles to VIN numbers connected to stolen vehicle reports.
Once the vehicles are recovered, officers work with the lawful owners or insurance companies to return the vehicles.
Officers said that auto theft is a transnational crime that aids in other illegal activities.
"We want to make this perfectly clear, our seaports are not gateways for criminal organizations to export stolen vehicles or other illicit products,” said Matthew Suarez, CBP’s Acting Director of Field Operations in Baltimore.
SUVs are the top vehicle type to be stolen, with the most popular models being the Honda CRV and the Toyota Highlander, according to officers.
The vehicle recovered with the highest assessed value was a 2024 Lamborghini Urus valued at $269,885 found in Norfolk.
The Port of Baltimore is ranked third nationally in stolen vehicle recoveries, with 122 recovered valued at $5.2 million, according to Border Patrol.
“Auto theft victimizes our nation’s citizens, dealerships, and rental companies, and Customs and Border Protection officers remain committed to combating transnational criminal organizations who are profiting on the international trade in stolen vehicles,” Suarez said.
