CBP officers continue recovering stolen vehicles at Charleston and Savannah seaports

So far in the 2024 federal fiscal year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have intercepted 18 stolen vehicles valued at approximately $1.1 million dollars during outbound enforcement operations and inspection of shipping containers in Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia, destined for countries such as Ghana, Libya, Jordan, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates.

In the 2023 federal fiscal year, CBP officers at ports of entry in Charleston and Savannah recovered 59 stolen vehicles with an estimated domestic value of $7,597,528.

The recovered stolen automobiles included sedans, luxury sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and a 2023 Bentley all were acquired through a variety of fraudulent means. Some of the vehicles were obtained from car dealerships using fraudulent identities and stolen credit cards, while others were reserved via fraud and later stolen from rental car companies.

“Our officers and law enforcement partners have a major role in the battle against Transnational Criminal Organizations,” said Gregory Alvarez, Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Atlanta Field Office. “Intercepting these stolen vehicles allows for victims to recover a significant personal item and disrupts the flow of money to criminal enterprises both foreign and domestic.”

• Recovered vehicles came from Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia.
• On April 19, 2024, a 2023 Bentley Continental and a 2022 Mercedes sedan with an estimated combined domestic value at $398.000.00 was seized by CBP at Savannah seaport.
• On April 13, 2024, a 2022 Dodge truck and 2024 Cadillac sedan with an estimated combined domestic value at $165.000.00 was seized by CBP at Charleston seaport.
• On March 13, 2024, a 2023 Cadillac Escalade and a 2019 Mercedes G-Wagon that were destined for Turkey were recovered by CBP at Savannah seaport.

In some cases, the victims did not know that a crime was occurring until they were contacted by CBP officers. The continued hard work and dedication of the CBP officers at Charleston and Savannah has led to the protection of American businesses and vehicle owners, while disrupting criminal enterprises both foreign and domestic. The recovered stolen vehicles were turned over to the Georgia Port Authority Police and South Carolina Law Enforcement Divisions for final disposition.

CBP's border security mission is led at our nation’s Ports of Entry by CBP officers and agriculture specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.