The US Treasury Department is investigating why ISIS seems to be able to get its hands on so many Toyota pickup trucks. The trucks are regularly seen in the group’s propaganda videos.
Toyota said it’s cooperating with the Treasury inquiry and looking at its supply chains worldwide to try to uncover more information.
Toyota is « committed to complying fully with the laws and regulations of each country or region where we operate and require our dealers and distributors to do the same. We are supporting the U.S. Treasury Department’s broader inquiry into international supply chains and the flow of capital and goods in the Middle East, » Toyota spokesperson Ed Lewis told CNN.
Lewis also said it’s impossible for the manufacturer to completely control the flow of its products after they are sold. Many are stolen or resold by third parties.
« Toyota has a strict policy to not sell vehicles to potential purchasers who may use or modify them for paramilitary or terrorist activities, and we have procedures and contractual commitments in place to help prevent our products from being diverted for unauthorized military use, » Lewis said.
About a year ago a plumber from Texas noticed his old pickup truck in an ISIS video. It’s unclear how that happened but it certainly illustrates that vehicles can travel all over the world via third party sale.
The U.S. Treasury inquires about ISIS' use of Toyota vehicles http://t.co/U4uWXcYrfR pic.twitter.com/FU7Hl5JLY0
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 6, 2015
