Albany

Federal authorities are looking over Danny Harrington's Land Rover, saying the Albany man may have fallen victim to an illegal importer.

Authorities seized the vehicle Tuesday and Harrington said he was interviewed by investigators from the Department of Homeland Security Wednesday about the case.

"I was at work," Harrington said. "The Land Rover was at my parents' house in Guilderland."

He said 10 federal agents showed up with a warrant to seize his vehicle, which he bought in December from a friend in Saratoga County. The friend had bought it in Virginia, he said.

He has title to it and filed it with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

But the vehicle's identification number ended up on a federal list of Land Rovers that were illegally brought into the country.

Vincent Picard, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said in an emailed statement that vehicles across the country were seized as part of the ongoing investigation.

"ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents served court-ordered seizure warrants on approximately 40 Land Rovers in various locations around the country," he said. "The seizures are being made pursuant to an ongoing criminal investigation involving the unlawful importation of the vehicles from Great Britain. The Land Rovers, which do not meet federal safety or emission standards, cannot be lawfully operated in the United States. The vehicle owners, who are victims of this criminal scheme, will have an opportunity to seek restitution for their losses."

Harrington said he has been told he could apply to the court in North Carolina to try to recover the vehicle.

Picard referred questions to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Don Connelly, a spokesman for that office, said the case was under seal, and he is prohibited from discussing it.

Harrington said there was some confusion since the federal investigators believed his Land Rover was a 2000 model. He believes it to be from 1983.

"When you look at the thing, it's a hunk of junk," he said.

tobrien@timesunion.com • 454-5092 • @timobrientu