Sometimes the “man” just likes to flex his muscle on the little guy: emissions, taxes, zoning issues and other red tape take away what we want most, and we either go along or fight back to keep what’s ours. Case in point: a recent nationwide seizure of some 40 Land Rover SUVs, including popular Defenders, executed by the Department of Homeland Security.

Defender 90s (like the one pictured) and 110s are getting impounded all over the country by the DHS.

It all began on the 15th of this month, when a member of Defender Source, a forum for Land Rover Defender enthusiasts, hopped on and typed out a short yet alarming post: “I’m still in shock. At 6:45 this morning Homeland Security came and seized my 110…” He went on to say that he had owned the truck for three years, and never had it inspected by anyone for any reason in his home state of New Jersey.

Another forum member, DannyboyUpstate, from Albany, New York chimed in with his own story about his 1983 110: “My 110 was seized today at about 9AM. It was parked at my father’s house about 15 minutes from where I live. It is registered to my home address, not my father’s…[ten] Homeland Security officers banged on the door screaming at [my parents] if they had any weapons…”

This is the ’83 110 belonging to DannyBoyUpstate, seized on July 15th.

“I spoke with the agent over the phone [but he] wouldn’t tell me his name. He says I have to meet him at his office and have some type of interview and maybe I will get the vehicle back. He also tells me that the 110 is a model year 2000. I told him to LOOK AT IT AND TELL ME IT’S A 2000. He said it’s not for him to judge.”

Further details provided in a later post mention a man named Aaron Richardet, who allegedly illegally imported Land Rovers, like the one belonging to DannyboyUpstate, into North Carolina and sold them off to unknown parties. In any case, it looks like these Land Rover owners are getting reamed for something they had no knowledge of, and now have to delve into the bureaucratic mud pit to reclaim their vehicles, which could take weeks, or months, or …

How do you feel about all this? Find our comment section below to offer up your two cents.