Feds Destroy Illegal Vehicle Seized At Port

BALTIMORE (AP) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently destroyed an illegal off-road vehicle seized at the Port of Baltimore.

The illegally imported Land Rover Defender was seized April 16. CBP officers say the 4x4 utility vehicle violated air bag requirements and other federal highway safety standards.

The Defender was destroyed at an undisclosed salvage yard in Maryland.

The vehicle seized in Baltimore was one of dozens stopped at ports around the country.

The resale value of a Defender in the U.S. is as much as $150,000. These vehicles cannot be lawfully imported into the U.S. unless they are at least 25 years old, and officials say their rarity inflates the stateside purchase price.

CBP officers say the Land Rover Defenders were claimed to have been 25 years or older, but may be newer vehicles whose Vehicle Identification Numbers had been fraudulently altered.

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