U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Norfolk, Virginia, have successfully recovered six pieces of heavy equipment that were stolen from Massachusetts and bound for Guinea. The equipment was initially taken from a rental company in Woburn, Massachusetts, before being shipped out of Newark, New Jersey. It was later found in a shipping container in Spain and returned to Norfolk.
The recovered items include a 2023 Bobcat skid steer, a Kubota backhoe, two 2018 Bomag drum compactors, two 2019 Genie scissor lifts, and 75 heavy equipment batteries. The total value of the seized goods exceeds $200,000.
CBP officers identified the container on July 5 while reviewing export manifests for potentially stolen vehicles. The container was listed as carrying machinery road rollers but was actually en route to Guinea with the stolen equipment inside. With assistance from CBP's Container Security Initiative (CSI) and their Spanish partners, the container was inspected upon arrival in Algeciras, Spain.
The inspection revealed unmanifested heavy equipment alongside the declared road rollers. Following this discovery, the rental company in Massachusetts confirmed the theft and filed a report with local authorities. Consequently, CBP ordered the container's return to Norfolk.
On August 26, CBP officers examined and detained the contents of the container upon its return to Norfolk. By October 15, they had handed over the recovered equipment to Virginia State Police for its eventual return to its rightful owner in Massachusetts.
"Customs and Border Protection often talks about the multiple layers that we employ to protect our nation and our citizens," said Mark Laria, CBP’s Area Port Director for Norfolk-Newport News. He emphasized that these layers also help enforce international trade compliance and recover stolen property.
CBP’s Baltimore Field Office has been particularly effective at recovering stolen vehicles exported from the United States. In fiscal year 2023 alone, they intercepted 343 stolen vehicles valued at approximately $17.7 million—an increase of 44% over the previous year—with many destined for West Africa.
CBP continues its mission to safeguard U.S borders by screening travelers and cargo for illicit goods that could threaten public safety or economic stability.
