Officers from the 7th arrondissement police station in Cotonou dismantled a network specializing in the theft and trafficking of two-wheeled vehicles on 15 October 2026. Authorities initiated the operation following a formal complaint filed by a motorcyclist regarding the theft of his Honda Wave S motorcycle in Sèkandji. Police tracked the criminal group to several locations before conducting the raid. The dismantled ring had been active in targeting specific models across the area. Law enforcement officials confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing as they process evidence recovered during the operation. No further arrests have been announced by the department at this time.
Tracking Stolen Vehicles Down
Police utilized a GPS tracker installed on the Honda Wave S to pinpoint the location of the stolen vehicle. The device transmitted coordinates that led investigators directly to a residential property situated in the Gbèdomidji neighborhood. Officers identified the residence as a storage site for the illicit operations conducted by the network. Edouard Djogbénou, reporting for Bénin Web TV, noted that the recovery of the motorcycle provided key evidence for the ongoing investigation into the criminal group. Law enforcement officials secured the site after confirming the presence of the vehicle on the premises. The recovered motorcycle remains in police custody as part of the evidence gathered during the raid. Authorities continue to analyze the data provided by the tracking system to determine if other vehicles were housed at the same location.
Recovery and Arrest Details
Police officers recovered five motorcycles of suspicious origin during the raid at the Gbèdomidji residential property. Investigators found these vehicles alongside the Honda Wave S that initially triggered the police operation in Cotonou. Law enforcement personnel secured all five units as part of the evidentiary material collected from the site.
Authorities arrested one individual at the scene during the execution of the search. Officers took the suspect into custody immediately following the discovery of the stored motorcycles. The department has not disclosed the name of the detained person or his specific role within the criminal network.
Questioning of the detained suspect occurred shortly after his arrest at the residential location. The individual stated that his father was responsible for the theft of the motorcycles. He further alleged that his father had fled the scene before police arrived to conduct the raid. Investigators are now working to verify these claims as they continue to process evidence recovered during the operation. No further arrests have been announced by the department at this time.
