Law enforcement officials are increasingly concerned about organized crime groups from other countries smuggling stolen cars from Detroit to destinations in the Middle East. Experts suggest that these groups are using minors to assist them in their operations.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has announced the indictment of eight men for their alleged involvement in a car theft and smuggling ring in September.
The 12-count indictment details how these suspects collaborated to facilitate the delivery of stolen vehicles at various commercial properties around Detroit.
Once they receive the stolen vehicles, prosecutors indicate that the men plan to load at least two of them into shipping containers for transport to nearby ports.
According to Dearborn Police Sgt. Daniel Bartok, “a lot of the cars were shipped to the Middle East,” specifically mentioning countries like Iraq and Dubai.
The suspects include Heydar Al Haidari, 41, from Garden City; Kalar Arunakash, 43, from Detroit; Abbas al-Othman, 42, from Dearborn Heights; Mohamed Al Hiro, 36, from Detroit; Mustafa Al Fetrawi, 46, from Dearborn Heights; Terrill Davis, 33, from Detroit; David Rosinski Williams, 32, from Harper Woods; and Mohammed Al Aboudi, 35, from Detroit.
Each of the eight faces charges of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles, along with individual counts of transporting stolen vehicles, prosecutors stated.
“Through our efforts, we’ve recovered over 350 stolen vehicles, and each of them has a victim impacted by the crime,” noted Matthew Stenz, Acting Special Agent in Charge at ICE HSI Detroit.
He added, “Our agents and law enforcement partners will continue to conduct operations to address these crimes that affect ordinary Americans.”
These recent charges are part of a worrying trend of vehicle theft across Michigan. In 2023, the state reported 28,408 motor vehicle thefts, reflecting a 4.1% rise compared to the previous year and an alarming 48.4% increase over the last five years.
Michigan’s attorney general has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Kyle McPhee, a stolen vehicle expert and former sergeant with the Michigan State Police, emphasized that auto theft is a significant issue in many major cities. He pointed out that Detroit’s status as a port city makes it particularly vulnerable. “If you put something in a shipping container, it’s bound to make it to the port,” he stated.
McPhee explained that organized crime groups often steal cars directly from manufacturers or off the streets. Sometimes, they recruit young people, as the legal consequences for minors tend to be less severe. “They offer the boys a bit of money to take cars back to a safe spot,” he said, adding that these vehicles can be dismantled to remove tracking devices and then sent overseas as ‘auto parts.’”
He further detailed how, once at a port, criminals might forge manifest logs to disguise the contents of shipping containers, often labeling them as ‘household goods’ while hiding stolen vehicles inside.
McPhee noted that with millions of containers passing through ports annually, inspecting each one is a daunting task. He pointed out that domestic organized crime networks often collaborate with international counterparts.
“Authorities might use backscatter and X-ray machines to check containers, but with so many passing through, it’s tough,” he said. “We need to focus on what’s coming into the country but also what’s going out.”
In light of the rise in vehicle thefts, state officials established the Automobile Fraud Task Force earlier this year. This unit aims to tackle auto insurance fraud and major auto theft through partnerships with local law enforcement agencies.
Attorney General Dana Nessel has indicated that enhancing the Auto Fraud Task Force is crucial given the escalating thefts affecting many communities in Michigan. “We’re ramping up efforts to dismantle these sophisticated organized crime operations,” she noted.
As authorities work to intercept stolen cars before they are loaded onto shipping containers and probe how local criminal organizations coordinate with international groups, McPhee believes that the driving factor behind the surge in vehicle thefts comes down to financial incentives. “There’s money to be made. If a local gang connects with an international group, it’s easy—thanks to the internet,” he said.
