A stolen luxury Bentley has been found in the port city of Karachi, Pakistan – nearly 5,000 kilometers from its home in London.
A search initiated by the UK’s National Crime Agency led Karachi authorities to a wooden house in the city.
Ordered by the court, officials raided the home and found the Bentley Mulsanne parked in the driveway.
In a statement, the Federal Customs Service in Pakistan said it had received “reliable information” from a “friendly country” about the whereabouts of the gray luxury vehicle.
Officials told Sky News: “According to information, we installed a surveillance, purchased a search warrant and found the vehicle in the driveway covered with a light gray cloth.”
The car was brought to Pakistan with fake documents from a European diplomat and was found with forged registration plates, one of which was handmade.
Authorities have managed to identify the vehicle by its chassis number.
Officials say those involved in the theft were unable to remove or disable the Bentley’s tracking device, which helped authorities pinpoint its location.
The Bentley Mulsanne V8 is the British automaker’s flagship model and is valued at up to £240,000, making it the brand’s largest and most expensive handcrafted saloon.
Customs officials told Sky News that the Pakistani owner has been asked to present legal documents, according to which he said: “The seller assured me that he will clear all debts and papers from the relevant authorities in November”.
Customs seized the vehicle and it is currently parked in a block, where Sky News found it to be in good condition.
The owner of the property where the Bentley was found, Jameel Shafi, has been taken into custody while authorities continue to track down the mastermind, who works at the motorcycle registry.
Police have opened an investigation into forged import documents and lost $1.3 million (£1.12 million) in taxes due to the intrusion.
