Sudanese police reported 153 572 cars stolen in the country’s capital Khartoum in 2023. Between June 2023 and April 2024, car thefts topped the list of criminal complaints filed with the police.
Car theft and cross-border smuggling in the Chad-Sudan border regions is not new. In the 2010s, Sudanese border markets became centres for cars stolen by Seleka fighters from the Central African Republic and various armed factions from Libya. These pre-owned vehicles, referred to as ‘Boko cars’ due to their association with Boko Haram, were transported into Sudan through Darfur and the Northern State.
Sudan’s third civil war, which began in April 2023, has reignited this illegal trade, with the country becoming a source of stolen vehicles. At the onset of the conflict, significant looting occurred in Khartoum and other major cities, primarily perpetrated by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF rebel group has been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces since 2023.
Looters frequently targeted the residences of displaced individuals in Khartoum, Wad Madani and other places in Sudan, mostly seizing gold jewellery and vehicles. While specific values on car looting are hard to come by, the price of property and goods plundered at the start of the war, from mid-April to mid-July 2023, was estimated at US$40 billion.
This criminal economy is enabled by porous borders and limited law enforcement, a senior police officer told ENACT anonymously in Chad. And as the conflict in Sudan rages on in 2025, it has fostered a burgeoning illegal economy in border regions between Sudan and Chad, where traffickers are selling stolen vehicles at prices significantly lower than their original value.
This has made some displaced Sudanese taking refuge in Chad resentful that Chadians are capitalising on the misfortune of the Sudanese by buying and selling stolen vehicles smuggled into Chad.
While numerous actors are involved in this criminal enterprise, including smugglers, intermediaries, garage proprietors and other profiteers, RSF members have emerged as key players. Each time the RSF occupies a new location, looting occurs, with vehicles among the primary spoils of war. These stolen vehicles are transported to the border with Chad, where they are sold by RSF members.
A judge from Abéché in the Chadian province of Ouaddaï who requested anonymity told ENACT that criminals disguise the stolen vehicles and use counterfeit licence plates to facilitate their passage across the Chadian border.
This often occurs late at night when security checkpoints are either non-operational or less rigorously enforced. Different criminal groups manage the transportation of the stolen vehicles into the interior, the judge said.
The theft and smuggling of cars not only exacerbate transnational crime, but also connect with the larger issues of conflict, political instability and economic opportunism in the region. Looting promotes violence, including deliberate assaults on defenceless civilians in both impoverished and wealthier regions to steal valuable assets like vehicles.
Civilians in these communities have been mobilising with weapons to resist the rebel groups and carry out reprisal attacks. This development suggests an intensifying cycle of violence and increases the likelihood of extended conflict.
The surge of stolen vehicles into neighbouring Chad is also disrupting local markets and eroding legitimate automobile trading.
While the pursuit of peace remains elusive in Sudan, neighbouring countries must refrain from becoming complicit by serving as destinations for the proceeds of war.
To effectively address the surge of stolen vehicles originating from Sudan, Chad can draw insights from South Sudan’s recent handling of a similar challenge.
Following the onset of conflict in Sudan, South Sudan collaborated closely with Sudanese law enforcement agencies. A delegation of Sudanese traffic officers travelled to Juba equipped with the electronic records of stolen vehicles, enabling the South Sudanese police to identify and recover these cars.
Additionally, authorities issued warnings to the public against purchasing smuggled vehicles, thereby raising awareness and reducing demand.
South Sudan further mitigated the issue by prohibiting the registration of any Sudanese vehicle that lacked proper documentation, complicating the entry of stolen cars into the legitimate market.
Chad could implement comparable strategies by enhancing border security and formalising cooperation with Sudan through security agreements. Gaining access to Sudan’s vehicle registry would enable Chadian officials to more effectively identify and intercept stolen vehicles. Furthermore, Chad should prohibit the registration of undocumented Sudanese vehicles and initiate public awareness campaigns to discourage potential buyers.
Finally, joint operations could enhance coordination and response. The experience of South Sudan illustrates that even in times of conflict, robust policies and regional collaboration can significantly diminish cross-border criminal activities.
Oluwole Ojewale, ENACT Central Africa Organised Crime Observatory Coordinator, ISS Dakar
Image: AFP
