WASHINGTON – A Land Rover Defender that had been seized at the Baltimore seaport has now been destroyed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
The vehicle, worth $25,000 overseas, but with a U.S. resale value of $150,000, was seized because it violated federal highway standards, including lack of airbags. It was destroyed at an undisclosed facility.
In a statement, Customs and Border Protection officials say dozens of Land Rovers have been stopped in recent months at ports of entry in Philadelphia, Norfolk, Va., Charleston, S.C., Savannah, Ga., Jacksonville, Fl., Houston, and Tacoma, Wa.
The agency says documents represented the vehicles as being 25 years of age or older, but may have actually been newer vehicles with Vehicle Identification Numbers that have been fraudulently altered.
Federal laws allow older, nonconforming vehicles to be imported without restrictions.
CBP provided video of the Land Rover being destroyed.
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