Thread: The Feds Just Seized 40 Land Rovers Imported To The U.S.

Obama's civilian Army.....
The Feds Just Seized 40 Land Rovers Imported To The U.S.

8

Patrick George
7/16/14 1:30pm

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Some 40 Land Rover owners across the U.S. woke up Tuesday morning to police and federal investigators knocking on their doors and demanding they hand over their trucks. Officials say it's part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the illegal importation of Land Rovers into this country, Jalopnik has learned.

But that will likely come as little consolation to the 40 owners of the Land Rover 90s, 110s and Defenders, many of whom contest what federal authorities claim about the legality of their cars.

News of the seizures first appeared on the Land Rover Defender forum Defender Source around 8 a.m. Tuesday, when one user posted to say that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security came to his home at 6:45 a.m. to seize his truck. That user was quickly joined by several others, who said their Land Rovers were confiscated by investigators who came to their homes with federal warrants.

One of them was Danny Harrington, who lives in Albany, New York. Last year he bought a 1983 Land Rover 110 through a friend in New York. He told Jalopnik that police drove around his residence looking for his truck, and then went to his parents' house 10 miles away to find it — a house where it wasn't even registered.

"They told me it was illegally imported, and the guy who imported it last year falsified the paperwork on the truck," Harrington said. The investigators came to the house with a list of VIN numbers and said his was on it, and that they were taking it with them.

Curiously, Harrington said police insisted his Land Rover was a year 2000 model. He says that his VIN number definitely goes back to a 1979 to 1984 truck, and not a newer one.

"It's clearly a 1983," he said of his very obviously older project vehicle. "It's not a show truck. It's a mess. It's a work truck."

Vincent Picard, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said authorities believe the cars were unlawfully brought into the U.S.

"ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents served court-ordered seizure warrants on approximately 40 Land Rovers in various locations around the country," he said in an email. "The seizures are being made pursuant to an ongoing criminal investigation involving the unlawful importation of the vehicles from Great Britain. The Land Rovers, which do not meet federal safety or emission standards, cannot be lawfully operated in the United States."

That was news to Harrington, who says he bought the car legally in New York last year and has a title to prove it. "I don't even know who imported it," he said.

Forum member Hitch weighed in as well:

I had 2 homeland security agents, state police, and local sheriff in my drive way when I went outside to go to work today. My, what I believe to be an 1986 110 was arrested and seized about 8:30 this morning.

When I purchased my vehicle I went to NC from Florida to look at and drive it. I compared the VIN on the bill of sale to the frame VIN and the VIN plate near the master cylinder. I in no way thought I was gambling in purchasing a vehicle that was licensed in NC. and had been in the states for a year prior to me purchasing it. The state police detective showed me where the engine block VIN had been filed and re-stamped.

On the dept of treasury process receipt it lists Land Rover Vehicles and the defendant. There are 61 VINS listed on the warrant. I was told I have 35 days to file a claim and was not given a form or anything to file. I spoke to the attorney listed on the complaint and he told me the case is still and open investigation and could not talk to me about it for another 24-48 hours.

So it's possible more than just these 40 Land Rovers are being targeted.

Picard directed further questions to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, but an official there said the case was under seal and that no one could discuss it.

So it's not clear exactly why the Land Rovers have been taken, but last year some 20 Defenders were seized by Homeland Security and Customs from a chiropractor's house in suburban North Carolina, Car and Driver reported at the time.

Meanwhile, nobody at either NHTSA or CBP could comment on the status of Aaron Richardet, the chiropractor. Several people in the Defender community have told us that "Doc Aaron" was running a business importing later-model Defenders; if that's true, he's likely facing trouble.

It would appear that these latest seizures are also related to that federal criminal case, which targeted Richardet. Members of the Land Rover forum seem to think the same thing.

With a federal criminal case, it's going to be tough — if not impossible — to get anyone to comment on the record about what happened here until indictments are handed down, if that even happens. My sense is that these Land Rovers were all seized as evidence in that case.

(A spokesman for Jaguar-Land Rover said the investigation appears to be related to cars sold by unaffiliated third parties.)

Picard, the ICE spokesman, added: "The vehicle owners, who are victims of this criminal scheme, will have an opportunity to seek restitution for their losses."

That's what Harrington probably plans on doing, although said he still doesn't understand why police had to come to his house to take his car or why his car's VIN number registers as a newer one to federal investigators.

"I just don't understand why this was so aggressive," he said.

http://jalopnik.com/the-feds-just-se...u-s-1605985758

CBP Targets, Intercepts Illegally Imported Vehicles

Release Date:
April 15, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Customs and Border Protection is on the lookout for illegal imports of Land Rover Defender vehicles that do not meet federal safety standards, including the standard that requires airbags. This year, CBP has identified dozens of illegal shipments at various ports of entry across the United States, including Baltimore, Charleston, S.C., Jacksonville, Fla., and Savannah, Ga.

Most recently on March 5, CBP officers at the port of Norfolk, working closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seized a shipment of two imported Land Rover Defender vehicles. CBP officers seized the shipment following the determination that the vehicle identification numbers on the vehicles were found to be fraudulently manipulated. The VINs were changed to make the vehicles appear older than they are to take advantage of an exemption that allows vehicles that are at least 25 years old to be imported without regard to whether they comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. The shipment arriving from Great Britain had been targeted for examination by CBP's Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center in Washington, D.C.

"Ensuring the safety of imported products is a top priority for CBP," said Allen Gina, CBP's assistant commissioner for international trade. "The concerted targeting efforts of CTAC and the vigilance of CBP officers and import specialists at our ports of entry will help ensure that unsafe vehicles from overseas markets do not reach our roadways."

NHTSA regulates imported motor vehicles. Illegally imported vehicles can pose potential safety hazards to drivers and all road users.

"Safety is the Department of Transportation's top priority," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "Those who illegally import Defenders and fraudulently offer the vehicles for sale are motivated by profit and do so at the expense of U.S. consumers and legitimate U.S. businesses that follow the law. We continue to work with our partners at CBP and the CTAC to prevent the importation of illegal vehicles and to inform consumers about the presence of and potential safety risks associated with these vehicles."

Since October 2012, CBP has seized more than a dozen illegal Land Rover Defender vehicles for violating NHTSA and Environmental Protection Agency regulations, for a total value of approximately $250,000. The overseas value for this model of vehicle is approximately $25,000. However, the resale value in the U.S. can run as much as $150,000 per vehicle depending on its model year, condition, and because these vehicles cannot be lawfully imported into the U.S. unless they are at least 25 years old. A significant portion of those shipments arrived into the U.S. via sea cargo from Great Britain.

Prospective buyers of imported vehicles can confirm the validity of the vehicle by checking the VIN in a vehicle history report. Buyers who suspect a vehicle is being illegally imported are encouraged to report suspected trade violations. All information submitted to CBP is voluntary and confidential.

To report a possible trade violation, please visit eAllegations.

The CTAC combines resources and staff from several government agencies, including NHTSA and EPA, to protect the American public from harm caused by unsafe imported products. For additional information on the CTAC and import safety, please visit CBP.gov/Trade, and click on the "Priority Trade Issues" tab.

Please check out CBP images via Flickr and video images via DVIDS.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national...orted-vehicles

Outrageous
Feds Raid Woman's Home to Seize ... a Land Rover?!



by Fox News Insider // Aug 01 2014 // 10:38am

As seen on Fox and Friends


This story sounds like it can't be true, but on Fox and Friends today we heard from a North Carolina woman whose Land Rover was seized from her home by armed federal agents. Jennifer Brinkley has no idea where her SUV is now, saying she's working with a lawyer to try to get it back.


Brinkley said the agents didn't even know the reasoning behind the seizure because the case was sealed, but told her it might be related to the vehicle failing to meet Clean Air Act emissions standards.
The federal investigation was reportedly targeting dozens of illegally imported vehicles.
Brinkley bought the iconic 1985 Land Rover Defender online and had spent more than $60,000 on the vehicle before it was seized by local law enforcement and DHS agents in bullet-proof vests.
She said she had a title for the vehicle and did enough work on it that it would have passed inspection. Brinkley said the warrant presented to her had the name of a previous owner on it.
"There were 40 seized that day all over the United States," Brinkley said, adding that she's in "disbelief" that her property could just be taken.
Brinkley, whose father served in the military, described the ordeal as "scary," adding that it makes her question the ideals that her father fought for.
Watch her go over the unbelievable story above.

video at link below

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/08/01...ize-land-rover

Homeland Security Seizing Cars That Violate EPA Standards

July 31, 2014 - 1:40 PM
By Eric Scheiner

Jennifer Brinkley of North Carolina says when saw a line of law enforcement vehicles coming up her driveway earlier this month she didn't know what to think. "I haven't done anything wrong."

According to WBTV, the Homeland Security agents were not there to take her away, they were looking for illegally imported Land Rover Defenders.

It was a task government officials were performing in several states in early July. Forums on defendersource.com contain posts from Defender owners claiming their vehicles were seized by the government.

Why?

All vehicles coming into the United States must meet U.S. safety and emissions standards. Many British manufactured Land Rover Defenders do not.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA) has a general rule that a motor vehicle “less than 25 years old must comply” with all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards to be imported. For the EPA, the car must be at least 21 years old.

So older and dirtier vehicles can be imported legally, as long as they are at least 25 years old.

In recent years, there have been cases where importers have illegally changed the VIN to make a vehicle seem older to get it into the United States.

A federal lawsuit filed in May in North Carolina lists dozens of Land Rover vehicles with VIN numbers the government is looking for that may have been brought in illegally. Jennifer Brinkley's was on that list.

The Department of Homeland Security website states that the organization, “has a vital mission: to secure the nation from the many threats we face.

This requires the dedication of more than 240,000 employees in jobs that range from aviation and border security to emergency response, from cybersecurity analyst to chemical facility inspector. Our duties are wide-ranging, but our goal is clear - keeping America safe.”

Incidents like Brinkley's show that DHS's “wide-ranging” duties include “keeping America safe” from cars that don’t meet EPA emission standards.

Even after the vehicles have entered the country and have been sold to private citizens.

http://cnsnews.com/node/820396