Stolen Land Rover From Canada Discovered in Ghana After International Fraud Investigation

A sprawling identity fraud scheme that began at a car dealership in the Canadian prairie city of Saskatoon has ended thousands of kilometres away in Ghana, after investigators tracked a stolen luxury vehicle across two continents in a case that exposes the growing reach of organised vehicle theft networks.

The Saskatoon Police Service says the investigation began in January 2025, when officers received a report that a Land Rover had been unlawfully obtained from a dealership on Faithfull Avenue. A man from the neighbouring province of Alberta had completed the purchase, but detectives later determined the transaction was carried out using a stolen identity.

What followed was a methodical unravelling of an operation that stretched well beyond Canada’s borders. Police established that the Land Rover was transported to British Columbia shortly after the fraudulent purchase. Working alongside the Edmonton Police Service and the Canada Border Services Agency, investigators uncovered evidence that the vehicle had been loaded for export and was destined for West Africa. Further enquiries confirmed it had arrived in Ghana.

The discovery transformed what initially appeared to be a straightforward local fraud into an international investigation requiring coordination among multiple law enforcement agencies across different jurisdictions.

A Second Fraudulent Purchase

As the probe deepened, officers uncovered a second alleged fraud involving another luxury vehicle. On 3 February 2025, a BMW X5 was fraudulently purchased from a separate dealership, also on Faithfull Avenue in Saskatoon. The suspect, who had again travelled from Alberta, used a Quebec driver’s licence during the transaction. Subsequent checks revealed the licence had previously been reported lost in the province of Quebec and had allegedly been altered before being used in the purchase.

The suspect was eventually flagged by authorities after concerns emerged about the authenticity of the identification document.

Arrest and Charges

Following collaborative investigations by police agencies, the suspect was arrested in Edmonton. The 21-year-old now faces a string of criminal charges, including fraud exceeding $5,000, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of another person’s identity document, personation, use of a forged document, and breach of court-imposed conditions.

Law enforcement authorities say the case highlights the growing sophistication of identity-related crimes and the increasingly international nature of vehicle theft and fraud schemes. The investigation underscores the importance of cooperation among police agencies, border authorities, and international partners in combating organised fraud and recovering stolen assets.

Police have indicated that enquiries into the broader circumstances surrounding the movement of the stolen vehicles remain ongoing.

Image Source: MYJOYONLINE