JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers recovered a stolen vehicle on June 24 in Jacksonville. The vehicle, a 2011 Toyota Corolla, was to be shipped to Ghana from an address in Duluth, Georgia.
After receipt of the export documentation, CBP officers in Jacksonville performed a records check and discovered that the vehicle was listed as stolen by the Hamilton Police Department. CBP officers seized the vehicle and turned it over to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit.
“CBP is very aggressive in their approach in detecting and intercepting stolen vehicles heading overseas,” said Jacksonville Area Port Director Douglas Straatsma. “This seizure is an example of CBP officers in Jacksonville demonstrating their expertise and experience in recovering stolen vehicles.”
During Fiscal Year 2014, Jacksonville CBP OFO officers recovered 27 stolen vehicles set to be exported from the United States. On a national level, CBP recovers thousands of stolen vehicles each fiscal year.
When exporting a vehicle, CBP must be presented the original document that shows the basis for ownership or right of possession, such as a bill of sale, and two complete copies of that original document. Further, the owner must certify in writing to CBP that the procurement of the vehicle was a bona fide transaction, and that the vehicle presented for export is not stolen.
For vehicle exportation requirements, visit CBP.gov's section on exporting a motor vehicle.
To see more CBP activity in Florida, view @CBPFlorida on Twitter.