Spanish authorities have recovered at least 117 luxury cars in a major crackdown on vehicle traffickers.
All of the cars were seized at Algeciras Port over the past six months, thanks to a joint operation between the Guardia Civil and Customs Surveillance agents.
The high-end vehicles were found in shipping containers bound for North Africa.
Valued at over €6.5 million, the cars included SUVs and sports models from brands such as BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover and Chevrolet Corvette.
Incredibly, they had been stolen in the United States and Canada.
Once smuggled across the Atlantic, they were set to be disguised and reintroduced into the African market as legitimate vehicles.
The investigation began in April, when officers recovered 16 stolen cars originally taken in Canada.
That discovery led to increased inspections at the port terminal, resulting in the detection of a further 85 vehicles with similar origins and circumstances.
International cooperation played a central role. US Customs and Border Protection staff based in Algeciras worked closely with North American authorities to track the shipments and intercept them at the final checkpoint before they left Europe.
The operation has dealt a significant blow to a cross-border network specialising in the movement of stolen luxury vehicles.
The recovered cars have already been shipped back to their countries of origin to be returned to their lawful owners.
