By, Olawale Ogunbusola, Ibadan.

Operatives of the Oyo State Police Command have busted a transnational criminal network involved in trafficking stolen exotic vehicles across Nigeria’s borders for sale abroad.

The Command said the breakthrough followed an intelligence-led operation by the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) after information was shared by the Kwara State Police Command.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said one of the suspects already in custody over an armed robbery case disclosed during interrogation that he knew of a gang that specialised in receiving and moving stolen vehicles out of the country.

Using the lead, operatives monitored the suspect’s phone under controlled conditions. Members of the syndicate sent him pictures of a vehicle they planned to steal and instructed him to arrange for its reception and movement across the border.

On August 24, the Oyo Command received information from Kwara Command to intercept a 2017 Lexus RX 350 SUV stolen at gunpoint from a woman in Ilorin, along with other valuables.

The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State, directed the VCRU Commander to mount a stop-and-search operation along the Ibadan-Ilorin Expressway.

At about 4:00 a.m. on August 25, operatives sighted the vehicle. The occupants abandoned it and fled into the bush. Two suspects were arrested during a chase. One of them sustained a bullet wound to his left foot.

The suspects were identified as Adewale Abiola, 33, and Kabiru Abobarin, 36, also known as “KB”.

A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of four HP laptops, one iPhone 15 Pro Max, a bag containing seven wristwatches and some jewellery belonging to the victim.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed that they received the vehicle from the syndicate in Ilorin and were taking it to the border to obtain ECOWAS documents for export and sale abroad.

The Commissioner of Police commended the operatives and directed that the investigation be intensified to arrest other members of the syndicate.

He also praised the inter-state collaboration between Oyo and Kwara Commands, saying such cooperation was critical to dismantling organised crime