40+ Imported Defenders seized by Homeland Security Today (developing story)
- Thread starter proper4wd
- Start date
FLoffroad1
Observer
That is ridiculous. Catching Defenders off the boat is one thing, but this is unbelievable; the one owner said his had been stateside for 3 years!
Viggen
Just here...
You cannot honestly think this, do you? It is about someone who has been breaking the law for three plus years by selling illegal vehicles. It is law breaking, not Land Rover hating. Naive.
superbuickguy
Explorer
So it's okay for illegal aliens to come into our country - and we won't deport them - yet somehow they have the time and space to go after Land Rover Defenders? Pretty screwed up, if you ask me.
damn.
damn.
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Gal
Yep, we pretty much knew it would only be a matter of time for the other shoe to drop on this one. It really sucks for the people who innocently bought these vehicles.
I've been thinking about the reason for the focus on the Defenders - interesting example of the market finding creative ways to meet unmet demand.
If you want to buy a legitimate US market Defender 110, there were only around 500 here ever. So you either find one of those, buy a (still scarce but easier to find) NAS 90 and swap the frame, or buy a vehicle from an importer and rely on the representations that the make to you.
Since the Defender has been around for a long time (and before then as a very similar appearing 109), it's easy to see how some importers would be tempted to take advantage of the situation - unless Customs has some reason to pay attention, it is not going to pop up on the radar.
I don't know if we'll ever know who brought the focus - could even be LRNA itself - but that focus is here and will be here for the foreseeable future.
If you own a Defender with a VIN that doesn't start SALD, best to hunker down and prepare for the worst.
roverandom
Adventurer
Your Government has decided Defenders are far too dangerous for Americans. Therefore you are not allowed to own them.
USA.....Land of the free. Home of the brave?
You can however buy a totally safe scooter or Harley Davidson or build a 1000hp T'bucket roadster with 90 year old brakes. Go figure. Or better yet, go vote.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
USA.....Land of the free. Home of the brave?
You can however buy a totally safe scooter or Harley Davidson or build a 1000hp T'bucket roadster with 90 year old brakes. Go figure. Or better yet, go vote.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
tacr2man
Adventurer
Due to the modular nature of "defenders" and commonality over the many years of production , at what point does the vehicle become more later model than early version ? The attraction to criminality , is due to the market , which can be very voracious , it leads to a big theft problem in UK , and greedy people in UK and US thinking the government agencies are fools . I have viewed many pics of US 90/110 (they have to be this model ) and thought even from the pics that there was no way they were the year mentioned. Many were no more than a late defender with different numbers applied to them . Landrovers are much more identifiable than most people realise, and LRUK cooperate readily with the agencies with build specific data . A lot more info as to year can be gathered from careful inspection of the vehicle components as it is with any vehicle. It is a pity that some possibly gullible , and some quite likely knowledgeable owners have now come unstuck . Its going to make the legit vehicles even more valuable tho !
stioc
Expedition Leader
For those who missed it, some background here: http://blog.caranddriver.com/exclusive-feds-declare-war-on-black-market-land-rover-defenders/
Sad but true
Sad but true
Of course, I don't believe that, I know this particular instance is about some "smart-***" guys doing illegal stuff, ... I was going more to the why there was not a bigger effort to keep on importing them legally back in the day, but anyway, that would be a discussion for some other time...
It's a pity that all these owners after expending all that money, end up with such a big problem in their hands, totally unfair for them when they thought they were doing things by the book.
Best of luck for all of them
proper4wd
Expedition Leader
As I questioned in the Defender Source thread, I wonder what would come of a legitimate challenge to the constitutionality of the import law. It was put in place following extreme pressure from European car manufacturers in the late 80's due to a growing number of late model gray market imports (not due to any pressing public safety concerns).
toylandcruiser
Expedition Leader
If it's 25 years or older, you can import anything you want.
"I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials."
— George Mason, in Debates in Virginia Convention on Ratification of the Constitution, Elliot, Vol. 3, June 16, 1788
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