Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Area Port of Baltimore intercepted a stolen 2015 Caterpillar D8T Dozer on September 3. The heavy equipment, valued at approximately $237,000, was being shipped to Accra, Ghana.
During a routine export examination, CBP officers discovered that the vehicle identification number matched a stolen vehicle report from Carroll County, Maryland. After confirming with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office that the theft report was still active, officers seized the dozer.
Ghana remains a common destination for vehicles recovered by CBP in Baltimore. Of the 250 stolen vehicles recovered by CBP officers in the Baltimore Field Office last year, about 60% were destined for West African nations. Twenty-eight of those were headed to Ghana.
According to industry efforts led by auto manufacturers and other stakeholders, there has been a reported 17% decrease in auto thefts nationwide over the past year. However, CBP continues to see an increase in stolen vehicle export recoveries nationally. In 2024, ports of entry across the country recovered 1,445 stolen vehicles—a rise of about 10% compared to 2023 and an increase of 81% from 2021.
“Customs and Border Protection officers continue to combat transnational criminal organizations by interrupting the international trade in stolen vehicles at our seaports,” said Jason Kropiewnicki, CBP’s Acting Area Port Director in Baltimore. “We will continue to secure our nation’s borders, recover stolen vehicle exports, and work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold these criminal organizations accountable.”
CBP's border security operations at ports of entry include screening travelers and cargo for illicit items such as narcotics and counterfeit goods that could threaten public safety or economic stability.
More information on CBP activities can be found at www.CBP.gov.
