Ghana named in U.S. crackdown on sophisticated car theft syndicate
A large international car theft ring with alleged ties to Ghana has been exposed by U.S. authorities, sparking renewed worries about the country being used as a destination for stolen vehicles.
A 15-count indictment unsealed in a U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia has charged six suspects accused of running a coordinated scheme that stole at least 20 vehicles across the Washington metropolitan area and Pennsylvania, before selling and shipping them to buyers in both the United States and Ghana.
Investigators believe the operation could be far more extensive than currently known. Authorities suspect the group may be linked to over 100 vehicle thefts in Washington, D.C., and more than 30 additional cases in Prince George’s County, Maryland, pointing to a broader network that may have supplied stolen cars to Ghana.
As part of the probe, officials carried out a search at an auto storage facility in Decatur, Georgia, thought to play a central role in the trafficking chain.
Prosecutors say the group used advanced techniques to steal mostly newer vehicle models, including Honda Civics, CR-Vs, and Acura TLXs and RDXs. They allegedly used electronic tools to reprogram vehicles, allowing them to operate with blank key fobs and bypass built-in security systems.
The suspects reportedly relied on On-Board Diagnostics II (OBD2) devices to alter vehicle systems. After the thefts, the cars were transported to storage sites, such as a parking garage in Southeast Washington, D.C., where their identities were concealed by changing license plates and tampering with Vehicle Identification Numbers.
Investigators also say the group disabled GPS and Bluetooth tracking features before moving the vehicles for resale or export, including shipments bound for Ghana.
Those charged include Jacob Hernandez, 29, of Los Angeles; Dustin Wetzel, 23, of Woodbridge, Virginia; James Young, 23, of Hyattsville, Maryland; Khobe David, 24, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and Chance Clark, 25, of Waldorf, Maryland. A sixth suspect is still on the run, with further details withheld by the court.
All six are facing conspiracy charges related to the possession, transportation, and sale of stolen vehicles.
Authorities believe some of the stolen cars were shipped in containers from Baltimore to Ghana.
The investigation is being handled by the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the Prince George’s County Police Department.
Although the case is being prosecuted in the United States, its links to Ghana are expected to draw the attention of local officials and industry players, especially amid ongoing concerns about the influx of stolen vehicles into West African markets.
U.S. prosecutors stressed that the indictment represents allegations only, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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