In some countries the import laws are very restrictive and they don’t have the dealers and the network to distribute the cars like the Mercedes and Lexus SUVs, Rolls Royces, Porches, and Bentleys.

“We know of a guy over in Windsor, Canada who sold 40 stolen cars to a dealership in Panama,” says Horsley. “They have customers all over the world, primarily in Russia, Colombia, Panama, and the Middle East. In some places like Bogota, Colombia, and Peru there is a need for the type of vehicles we see stolen here. In order to be able to handle the rough terrain or just to look good and to be stylish, there is a demand for luxury sport utility vehicles. We’ve heard that the same vehicles stolen in Michigan have sold for three times their value on the Russian black market.”

Because countries don’t share motor vehicle information, it is easy to have a vehicle re-titled in another country. A car can come across the border from Canada with a forged, stolen, or cloned Canadian title and permit. That car can get re-titled in the U.S., exported overseas, and look perfect on paper.

Meanwhile, Special Agent Horsley continues with his investigations. You know where to find him: looking for stolen cars, on the border.