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Throwback : Uganda Returned 24 Stolen Luxury Cars Worth $1.3 Million Back To UK
Twenty-four (24) top-of-the-range luxury cars returned to the United Kingdom (UK) from Uganda.
The luxury cars include of brands like BMW, Audi, Lexus and Range Rover and worth £1million.
They include models like Audi Q7, a Range Rover and a BMW X5 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
Interpol, National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, and others helped to locate and return the stolen cars.
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) in February 2016 handed over twenty-four (24) top-of-the-range cars that were stolen from the United Kingdom (UK) back in 2015.
The luxury cars were handed over by URA commissioner general, Doris Akol to the British High Commissioner Alison Blackbern and other UK National Crime Agency officials at URA headquarters in Nakawa, Kampala.
The 24 luxury cars, which included brands like BMW, Audi, Lexus and Range Rover, and models like Audi Q7, a Range Rover and a BMW X5, then were reported to have a combined worth of one million pounds ($1.3 Million).
Private-public partnership between Interpol, National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, National Crime Agency and Asset Protection Ltd helped to locate and retrieve the stolen luxury cars.
The cars were reportedly stolen from London, and their location in Uganda was discovered in May 2015 after a Lexus was traced by Asset Protection Unit.
APU, who later discovered that an international car theft ring was behind it all, noted the organised gangs contribute to the ongoing £1.3 billion (as at 2016) motor fraud insurance crisis.
APU Ltd said in a statement :
“This is the first time such an operation has been run involving this level of international and cross agency co-operation and it is a real example of how private industry, leading edge technology and expertise can assist law enforcement. It sets the template for future operations targeting organised criminals intent on stealing mobile assets.”
