U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Wilmington, seized a 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Monday that was destined to Lagos, Nigeria.
The vehicle was flagged for being grossly undervalued.
Officers initially inspected the Range Rover October 29, which the New Jersey exporter valued at $13,000.
A fair assessment of the vehicle is about $55,000. It is a violation of federal law to submit a false export declaration and undervaluing an export. Violations may include a civil penalty, forfeiture of the export commodity, and/or criminal charges. CBP officers seized the vehicle.
CBP officers routinely examine outbound vehicle shipments to ensure the vehicle and its documentation is in compliance with U.S. export laws, and to ensure that the vehicles are not stolen.
CBP officers at the Port of Wilmington set a record for seizures of stolen vehicle exports during fiscal 2019. Officers seized 16 stolen vehicles with a combined value of $454,007. A majority of those vehicles were being shipped to West Africa.
CBP routinely inspects imported and exported international cargo to search for weapons, illicit narcotics, bulk currency, counterfeit consumer products, and other prohibited items, and to ensure that new and used vehicles, boats, campers and farm machinery comply with existing U.S. laws.
