Forty-four vehicles, believed to have been stolen from foreign countries, have been impounded by the Ghana Police Service following a three-day exercise within the Accra-Tema metropolis.

The exercise, code-named 'Operation SEMTA', was organised by the INTERPOL Sub-Regional Bureau based in Abidjan, in conjunction with its General Secretariat in Lyon, France, to fight against the importation of stolen vehicles into four West African countries, namely Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.

DSP Faustina Andoh-Kwofie, head of INTERPOL Ghana, briefing the press in Accra, said the general secretariat had developed the Automated Search Facility Stolen Vehicle (ASF-SWV) database to support the police in member countries in the fight against international vehicle theft and trafficking.

She said by the end of 2007, the database had more than 4.2 million records of reported stolen motor vehicles.

She added that due to its global nature, the fight against organised crime called for partnership and effective collaboration among nations.

DSP Andoh-Kwofie said the vehicles were not only stolen for their own sake but sometimes they were trafficked to finance other crimes or used as bomb carriers in effecting other crimes.

She indicated that the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), the Immigration Service, the Attorney-General's Department and the Driver, and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) assisted the police during the operation and so far 38 of the seized vehicles had been confirmed as stolen from Canada, Belgium, Italy, Germany, and The Netherlands, among other places.

She said the remaining six had their chassis numbers tampered with and that made it difficult to detect whether they were stolen or not.

According to the commander, although the exercise was concentrated in the Accra and the Tema areas, it would be extended to the other regions.

She said statements had been taken from the owners of the seized vehicles and those who sold them to their current owners.

She stated that after investigations the vehicles would be sent back to those from whom they were stolen if those owners were willing to bear the cost of shipment. If not they would be confiscated to the state.

She appealed to prospective car buyers to go to the CID headquarters in Accra and cross-check with the INTERPOL office before effecting any payment to avoid loss of money.

Story by Mary Mensah Source: Daily Graphic - Daily Graphic