Ghana Police Praised for Effective Collaboration with DIGITPOL
At the request of Interpol Ghana, a pilot project was initiated in partnership with VbV, NCB The Hague, Recovery partner and DIGITPOL to trace, seize, and repatriate dozens of stolen Dutch vehicles. This project, involving close collaboration with Interpol Ghana, Interpol Netherlands, VbV, DIGITPOL, a law firm in Accra, and Retrieve International Recovery, has already seen significant success, with the first batch of vehicles returned to the Netherlands. The first container was unloaded in Rotterdam on May 28, 2024. Building on this success, DIGITPOL has expanded the initiative to other countries, ensuring that the process for recovering stolen vehicles remains consistent and effective, based strictly on a well-defined protocol.
DIGITPOL reports that Ghanaian authorities are highly cooperative, with the Ghana Police demonstrating exceptional efficiency and operational readiness. The recovery process is streamlined, contingent upon clear ownership documentation and the retention of a lawyer to represent the victim. Provided these conditions are met, vehicle recovery is assured.
Process of Vehicle Seizure in Ghana
The initial step involves locating the stolen vehicle and ensuring its seizure through coordination between the police and relevant Interpol NCBs. Once seized, the vehicle is secured and transported to a police station.
Legal Challenges and Repatriation
Ownership must be established immediately after seizure, requiring the presentation of ownership documents in court to successfully claim the vehicle. This crucial process is managed effectively by DIGITPOL, which has all the necessary tools and procedures in place. Once the court releases the vehicle, via a legal counsel, DIGITPOL arranges for its transportation from police custody to the port, where it is prepared for shipment back to its country of origin. This process involves the handling of multiple documents, including customs clearance, all of which are managed by DIGITPOL. When the vehicle arrives in the country of origin, the process is not completed, the vehicle needs to pass customs and the international stolen signal needs to be removed, only after the vehicle has been re-inspected.
If your vehicle is in Ghana and the ownership is clear and the correct documentation is provided to us, we will recover your vehicle. Contact us for more information.
DIGITPOL, Stolen Vehicle Unit.
Article: https://digitpol.com/interpol-the-hague-interpol-ghana-vbv-lawyers-retrieve-digitpol-in-joint-cooperation-to-trace-and-recover-stolen-dutch-vehicles-in-ghana/
The VBV article can be found in Dutch here
