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International car smuggling ring totaled 400 vehicles worth $40 million
The group of eight suspects smuggled stolen high-end vehicles using shipping containers, sending most to the Middle East, police say.
FOX 2 - Eight Metro Detroit men have been indicted for an international car theft and smuggling ring, the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said Thursday.
The backstory:
Dearborn police Cpl Daniel Bartok said the operation involved about 400 high-end vehicles with a value of over $40 million.
"We anticipate we may discover more as the investigation continues," he said. "Once the vehicles were stolen and secured, they were placed in shipping containers. A lot of the cars were shipped to the Middle East, Iraq, Dubai, were some of the countries where these vehicles were sent to."
According to the 12-count indictment, beginning in July 2023 and continuing through August 2025, the suspects conspired with each other and others to receive stolen vehicles at one of four commercial/industrial lots.
The men allegedly would pack two or more stolen vehicles at the lots into shipping containers and cause the containers’ transportation to port cities via freight or rail. At the port cities, if law enforcement had not already interdicted the containers, the containers with cars would ship overseas.
The suspects charged are:
- Haydar Al Haydari, 41, of Garden City
- Karar Alnakash, 43, of Detroit
- Abbas Al Othman, 42; of Dearborn Heights
- Mohammed Al Hilo, 36, of Detroit
- Moustapha Al Fetlawi, 46, of Dearborn Heights
- Terrill Davis, 33, of Detroit
- David Roshinsky Williams, 32, of Harper Woods
- Mohammed Al Abboodi, 35, of Detroit
All defendants face one count of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles, and each also faces one or more counts of transportation of a stolen vehicle.
If convicted on the charge of transportation of stolen motor vehicles, the defendants each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
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International auto theft smuggling ring sent $40M of vehicles to Middle East
Stolen high-end vehicles were sent with shipping containers overseas in the elaborate ring, investigators say.
The charges stem from an investigation initiated by the Dearborn Police Department and involving U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"Stolen cars have no place in interstate commerce and foreign trade," said United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon. "I very much appreciate the diligent work of our many law-enforcement partners in recovering countless vehicles and putting an end to this criminal scheme. Our work to secure justice for the conspirators and their victims continues."
"This case demonstrates the strength of partnerships between local and federal law enforcement," said Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin. "I want to thank our partners in the Southeast Michigan Auto Crimes Consortium (SMACC), whose collaboration was instrumental in this case. I also want to acknowledge the critical funding and support provided by Auto Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA), which makes this type of proactive investigation possible. Together, we are protecting victims, safeguarding our communities, and holding criminals accountable."
The case was investigated by agents of ICE HSI with significant assistance from CBP, FBI, Bureau of Industry and Security, Dearborn Police, Dearborn Heights Police, Livonia Police, Garden City Police, Detroit Police, CSX Police, Norfolk Southern Police, HSI Newark, HSI Norfolk and CBP Newark and task-force officers affiliated with the Southeast Michigan Auto Crimes Consortium. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Louie Meizlish, Hank Moon, and Catherine Morris.
Anyone with information relevant to this case is asked to contact HSI at HSIDetroit_StolenAuto_Tipline@hsi.dhs.gov
The Source: Information for this report is from the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.