International Trafficking in Stolen Vehicles

Abstract

For many years, trafficking in stolen cars seemed largely to be confined to the Americas, with an estimated 200,000 cars per year flowing from the United States to Mexico and Central and South America. Trafficking in stolen cars is now a worldwide phenomenon. Perhaps half a million or more cars each year are transported from developed to less developed nations, hidden in containers or driven across national borders. Because vehicle trafficking causes less personal harm than other transnational crimes, governments have given it little priority. However, a recent spate of policy efforts has focused on identification and repatriation of stolen vehicles. Further development of policy would be assisted by a modest investment in research. This could produce detailed information about the methods used by criminals, provide more information about the involvement of immigrants, and yield improved measures of trafficking. The availability of comprehensive government and industry data makes this transnational crime a promising field of research.