The Royal Canadian Mounted Police International Special Services has commended the Nigeria Customs Service over the recent recovery of 12 luxury vehicles by the RCMP Liaison Office in Lagos, adding to the 53 it earlier recovered.

This is even as the RCMP commended the NCS for its unwavering commitment to safeguarding borders and disrupting transnational organised crime through strategic partnerships and intelligence-driven operations.

This commendation was contained in a statement on Sunday signed by the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada.

Maiwada added that the commendations were formally made during an official ceremony held at the Canadian High Commission in Abuja.

He explained that at the event, the High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Pasquale Salvaggio, presented an award of recognition to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for his leadership and the pivotal role of the service in the fight against cross-border crimes.

“This recognition follows the recent recovery of 12 luxury vehicles by the RCMP Liaison Office in Lagos, adding to the 53 earlier recovered. This brings the total number of stolen Canadian vehicles intercepted in Nigeria to 65,” Maiwada said.

Maiwada explained that the recoveries were made possible through the strong collaboration between the NCS, the RCMP, the Canadian Border Services Agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and Interpol Nigeria.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Pasquale Salvaggio, lauded Adeniyi for his sustained contributions to disrupt the operations of international crime syndicates.

Salvaggio highlighted specific cases, including the interception of various exotic vehicles worth millions of dollars, “as well as the seizure of several kilogrammes of synthetic cannabis, popularly known as ‘loud’, smuggled from Canada into Nigeria through multiple ports, airports and other unapproved routes.”

“Through the support of the NCS, in collaboration with Canadian and Nigerian law enforcement agencies, we have disrupted key international crime networks and safeguarded the integrity of our borders,” Salvaggio stated.

In his response, Adeniyi appreciated the Government of Canada and reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation in combating illicit trade.

“This recognition reflects the success of our collaborative approach. We value our strong relationships with the RCMP, CBSA, EFCC, NDLEA, and Interpol. Together, we have delivered tangible results that benefit both our countries and global trade,” the CGC remarked.

He also advocated formalising the growing partnership through a memorandum of understanding between the NCS and the Canadian Border Services Agency to institutionalise cooperation on enforcement, intelligence exchange, and training.

Adeniyi emphasised that deeper engagement between customs administrations across continents is crucial, especially as Nigeria and Canada are active members of the World Customs Organisation.

The RCMP, represented by Mr Liam Price, Director-General of International Special Services, acknowledged that the partnership with Nigeria Customs has significantly strengthened Canada’s international enforcement efforts and remains vital in tackling organised criminal networks.