Stolen vehicles worth $1.1 million found at seaports including in Savannah

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Inspectors are finding stolen cars at seaports - including in Georgia.

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Just this year, officers have intercepted 18 stolen vehicles valued at more than $1.1 million.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents found the vehicles while inspecting shipping containers in Savannah and Charleston, S.C.

Investigators say the cars were being shipped to countries including Ghana, Libya, Jordan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

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On April 19, CBP officers in Savannah recovered a 2023 Bentley and a 2022 Mercedes with an estimated combined value of $398,000. On March 13, a 2023 Cadillac Escalade and a 2019 Mercedes G-Wagon destined for Turkey were found by CBP at Savannah seaport.

Last year, officers at ports of entry in Charleston and Savannah recovered 59 stolen vehicles with an estimated value of $7,597,528.

Officials say some vehicles were picked up from car dealerships using fraudulent IDs and stolen credit cards, while others were reserved via fraud and later stolen from rental car companies.

According to authorities, in certain cases, the victims did not know that a crime occurred until they were contacted by CBP officers.

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