—As Liberia Becomes Hub for U.S. Stolen Vehicles
IPNEWS: Ever since the news of a luxury vehicle controversy ensued with little known as to how the luxury 2024 Chevy Suburban, acquired and bought into Liberia.
At the weekend, the current Commerce Minister Amin Modad, when questioned to clarify on a Spoon Talk evening show where did he get money from to buy such a luxurious car, when a Liberian Minister makes an average monthly salary of $6,000 and $7,000, Modad confessed that his brand-new 2024 Chevy Suburban was bought with remittances from Med-Tech, a foreign-owned vessel tracking company that’s currently faces huge reprisal for its huge charges at the Free Port of Monrovia, through the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) as a form of “Capacity-Building Support” to his ministry.
Pressed further, Modad abruptly ended his conversation with panelists and walked away, refusing to allow the moderator to “play a game” with him.
Now the authoritative Independent Probe Newspaper, with confident sources have established that the 2024 Chevy Suburban, was purchased from a notable vehicle nabbing gang (Bush-Meat Doctor) in Philadelphia, the United States, with the help some Liberian also involved in the collusion for a price of USD 81,000.
Sources tell IPNEWS that following the outbreak of discontent by ordinary Liberians and Employees of the Ministry of Commerce over the purchased of such luxurious vehicle whence Commence Inspectors were without vehicles to conduct government lawful inspection and taxation, Modad proceeded to inquest from the Bush-Meat vendor for a return of the vehicle and subsequent refund which was vehemently rejected by the ‘Bush-Meat Doctor’.
IPNEWS investigation has uncovered that the luxury vehicle is now parked at the back of the Bella Casa Hotel owned and operated by Amin Modad, on 2nd Street Sinkor, Tubman Boulevard.
Attempts to seek clarification from Minister Modad throughout the weekend proved fruitless as our Reporter was never allowed to see Minister Modad, neither has he responded to IPNEWS inquiries via his WhatsApp messenger.
Portion of IPNEWS inquiry to Minister Modad, was request to prove purchase order, Payment receipts of vendor, Bank Transfer details, and delivery receipts, which remains lingering critical issues to ensuring that the vehicle was actually purchased from a legitimate vendor contrary to reports of transaction with the ‘Bush-Meat Doctor’.
Last week, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) urged President Joseph Boakai to launch an independent investigation into Amin Modad’s Commerce Minister vehicle saga.
Atty. Gerald D. Yeakula, Program Manager of CENTAL, said the US$96,000 used to purchase the vehicle could have been used to build the capacities of relevant departments at the ministry, and that said purchase violates the budget law.
“All procurement of vehicles in this year 2024, except for the President, Vice President, Speaker, Pro-Tempore, and Deputy Speaker, and the Chief Justice of Liberia, shall not exceed US$45,000 at duty paid,” he said.
In September 2024, the news of Minister Modad’s luxurious vehicle was posted on social media. The posters included Martin K.N. Kollie, a vocal Liberian activist who claimed that the vehicle cost over US$100,000.
In a response post, Minister Modad said the vehicle was not purchased for him as an individual but for the Ministry of Commerce, making the government of Liberia the legitimate owner.
“NO custom-made, bullet-proof vehicle, costing $150k, was purchased as outrageously being posted; the photos being posted are photos of former US President Trump’s vehicle. I’ve used my vehicle (an S-Class Mercedes) and paid for its fuel and the driver’s salary out of pocket for the past 8 months since becoming Minister with no burden on the ministry or government.”
Funding for the vehicle was provided by the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). In a statement, LRA said it confirmed in May 2024 that it approved the Ministry of Commerce’s request to purchase a vehicle to support the ministry’s work.
CENTAL believes that President Joseph Boakai, who campaigned and was elected with a promise to rescue Liberians, should not employ a minister who uses a luxurious vehicle when the ordinary citizens cannot afford basic needs.
CENTAL also called on President Boakai to suspend, with immediate effect, those officials of the Executive found to violate the laws by refusing to declare their assets, including incomes and liabilities.
“We call on citizens to demand that lawmakers declare their assets as a pivotal component of public service. We also call on the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as well as the Legislature to demand compliance by officials of the judiciary. We further call on the Legislature to consider tougher measures to trigger compliance in the judiciary, including through impeachment.”
CENTAL, also urged president Boakai to investigate the Ministry of Finance over reports of US$15 million in off-budget expenditures.
According to Atty. Gerald D. Yeakula, this action violates the public financial management (PFM) law of Liberia, which provides for spending according to approved budget lines.
“We note that the PFM law provides that expenditures exceeding appropriations are only allowed under ‘exceptional circumstances’ and that even in such cases, the MFDP is required to submit a statement of expenditures in excess to the Legislature and, following review by the Legislature’s Public Accounts Committee, the Legislature decides by Resolution on whether to allow the excess expenditure (See Sections 8 and 24).”
In early January 2024, U.S. officials in Maryland, Baltimore alert over several cars stolen from the District, Maryland, Virginia, and beyond are winding up in shipping containers, headed overseas, and it’s a problem that customs officials say is getting worse.
Port of Baltimore Director Adam Rottman told FOX 5 that last fiscal year they intercepted 149 stolen cars, but in the last three months, that number is already at 70, on pace to just about double last fiscal year’s total.
“Transnational criminal organizations will make money any way they can, whether it’s drugs, terrorism, human smuggling, selling fake Care Bears, anything they can do to make a dollar,” Rottman told FOX 5, “And right now, the market is hot for these stolen cars going over to West Africa.”
Criminals will steal the cars, try to quickly rip out any manufacturer-installed GPS tracking systems, and race them to the port before they’re reported stolen, often hiding them in containers packed with random household items in order to conceal the stolen cars.
On Thursday, we found a 2011 Hyundai Elantra that was reported stolen from a Northwest D.C. home last summer, but Rottman says most of the cars that wind up at the port are high-end models like Land Rovers and BMW SUVs.
This week, agents seized a brand new $55,000 Ford Bronco. Police in Wayne, Detroit confirmed to FOX 5 it was stolen straight from the Ford plant where it was built.
Last spring, agents also seized a $75,000 BMW X5, reported stolen by Joe Mazzocchi in New Jersey.
“Extremely shocking,” Mazzocchi said. “I mean I think it was more than 200 miles away from where I left the vehicle and, according to my insurance company and US Customs, it was found in a container ready to be shipped overseas.”
Now, with car thefts up a staggering 82% last year in the District, the message is clear.
“First thing you do is call the police. First thing you do is get that reported, so we can intercept it here in Baltimore,” Rottman said.
Police say it’s also worth buying an AirTag or Tile and placing it somewhere in your car, so that officers can quickly track the vehicle down before it gets shipped overseas.
