The Baltimore Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that officers recovered 307 stolen vehicles being exported through East Coast seaports during the 2025 fiscal year, disrupting a transnational pipeline that targeted cars bound for West Africa and Southwest Asia.
CBP officials said the recovered vehicles had a combined assessed value of about $14.5 million. The Port of Baltimore accounted for 122 recoveries, with an assessed value of $5.2 million, ranking third nationally in stolen vehicle recoveries, according to the agency.
How officers detected the shipments
CBP described a multi-step screening process that led to the recoveries. Officers scan shipping containers and compare contents with ship manifests, verify vehicle documentation and identification numbers, and cross-reference VINs against stolen vehicle reports. Once a vehicle is identified as stolen, agents work with lawful owners or insurers to return the property.
Officials said SUVs were the most commonly stolen vehicle type, with the Honda CR-V and Toyota Highlander cited as the most frequently targeted models. The highest-valued vehicle recovered during the year was a 2024 Lamborghini Urus found in Norfolk, assessed at $269,885.
“We want to make this perfectly clear, our seaports are not gateways for criminal organizations to export stolen vehicles or other illicit products,”
— Matthew Suarez, Acting Director of Field Operations, CBP Baltimore Field Office
Local consequences and context
For Baltimore, the recoveries underscore the port’s role in international commerce and the security challenges that come with it. Port operators, local law enforcement and federal agencies routinely coordinate inspections and intelligence-sharing to intercept contraband and stolen goods.
CBP emphasized that auto theft feeds other criminal activity and victimizes individual owners, dealerships and rental companies. The agency said officers remain focused on disrupting transnational criminal organizations that profit from exporting stolen vehicles.
- 307 total vehicles recovered across seaports between Philadelphia and Norfolk (FY 2025)
- $14.5 million — combined assessed value of recovered vehicles
- 122 vehicles recovered at the Port of Baltimore, valued at $5.2 million
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Fiscal year | 2025 |
| Total recoveries | 307 vehicles |
| Port of Baltimore recoveries | 122 vehicles |
| Total assessed value | $14.5 million |
CBP did not provide a breakdown of how many of the Baltimore recoveries were destined specifically for particular foreign ports or describe ongoing investigations into the networks responsible. The agency said recovered vehicles were slated for export to countries in West Africa and Southwest Asia and that officers coordinate with owners and insurers to return property once identified.
Local authorities and port stakeholders say continued federal attention and inspection resources are key to preventing seaports from becoming conduits for organized criminal activity. For residents, the recoveries are a reminder that vehicle theft has far-reaching impacts beyond the immediate loss, affecting insurance rates and local markets for used vehicles.
