Man Exported Thousands of Cars, but Somehow Overlooked the Paperwork. Now Canada is Sending the Invoice | Carscoops

      An exporter neglected the critical element one should always remember, resulting in a debt of millions after several years of exporting used cars.

      According to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the exporter transported 2,300 vehicles without required declarations.

      Two search warrants were executed in London, Ontario, where investigators uncovered 750,000 documents related to the case.

      It’s common for people to forget things occasionally, but forgetting how to run a multi-million dollar export business legally is rare. The CBSA alleges that this individual exported thousands of used cars but overlooked an essential requirement.

      He reportedly did not file any of the necessary export declarations mandated by Canadian law, and now he faces a hefty fine of $36.9 million (approximately US$26.7 million at current exchange rates) due to this oversight.

      The individual is said to have exported over 2,300 vehicles from Canada to West Africa over several years without the appropriate documentation required by the country’s Customs Act.

      A Missing Paper Trail

      CBSA agents in Halifax, Nova Scotia, first identified the operation in 2021, which initiated a multi-year investigation involving agencies from both countries. In July 2023, officials executed two search warrants in London, Ontario.

      During these searches, they collected business and financial documents, vehicle titles, bills of sale, cell phones, SIM cards, and various other devices. Authorities subsequently reviewed around 750,000 records connected to the operation.

      By August 2025, the agency issued a Notice of Ascertained Forfeiture, a legal process applicable when the goods cannot be physically seized, likely because they have already left Canada.

      The Cost of Skipping Paperwork

      According to sections 95 and 124 of the Customs Act, penalties can equal the total value of the exported goods, which is what occurred in this situation.

      “The multi-million dollar fine resulting from this investigation serves as a serious reminder to commercial exporters that they will be held accountable for failing to adhere to mandatory reporting requirements and Canadian laws,” stated Dominic Mallette, the regional director general of CBSA’s Atlantic Region, in a news release.

      This penalty is noted as one of the largest of its kind in recent years. While the government did not specify anything regarding stolen vehicles, Canada has long tackled issues with such cars being shipped to West Africa.