CBP intercepts stolen bulldozer bound for Ghana at Port of Baltimore

A stolen bulldozer bound for Ghana was intercepted at the Port of Baltimore, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

CBP officials said the stolen bulldozer, a 2015 Caterpillar D8T Dozer valued at $237,000, was stopped in Baltimore during a routine cargo inspection on September 3. Authorities confirmed the heavy machine was headed for Ghana before officers flagged it.

Investigations showed that the bulldozer seized at the Port of Baltimore had been reported stolen in Carroll County, Maryland. “When officers checked the vehicle identification number, it matched an active theft report,” CBP explained in a statement.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed the bulldozer was still listed as stolen, leading to its immediate seizure by federal authorities. “This is a significant recovery because the equipment is highly valuable and was already en route overseas,” a CBP spokesperson added.

Officials said the seizure highlights an ongoing challenge of stolen vehicles being shipped through the Port of Baltimore, many of them headed for West Africa. “We see this pattern all the time. Dozens of stolen vehicles turn up in shipments destined for Ghana and other West African countries,” CBP officers told local media.

Data from CBP shows a national rise in stolen vehicle interceptions. In 2024, officers recovered 1,445 stolen vehicle exports nationwide, marking a 9% increase compared to 2023. However, Baltimore saw a decline, with 250 stolen vehicle exports recovered in 2024— a 27% drop from the previous year. Collectively, the stolen vehicles seized locally were valued at nearly $9.6 million.

CBP’s Baltimore Field Office, which covers 11 ports from Trenton, New Jersey, to the Virginia–North Carolina line, said it will continue to intensify checks to prevent stolen vehicles and equipment from being shipped overseas.

Meanwhile, the government of Ghana has announced an immediate ban on the importation of excavators as part of intensified measures to combat illegal mining and safeguard the nation’s water bodies. The directive, issued by the Ministry of Transport, introduces a strict “No Permit, No Excavator” policy to regulate the entry of such machinery into the country.

In a press release signed by Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe (MP), the government mandated that all shipping lines cease transporting excavators into Ghana without the requisite permit. Additionally, dealers and importers are now required to obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Transport before bringing excavators into the country.

“This forms part of the government’s renewed efforts to clamp down on illegal mining and protect the country’s water bodies,” he stated.