Latvia Donates Cars Confiscated From Drunk-Drivers to Ukraine

Those caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs have their cars permanently confiscated under Latvian law, but instead of auctionin goff the motors, they are now being shipped straight to Ukraine to help with the war effort.

The Latvian government has now donated 66 cars to the Ukrainian army, a report by Baltic news portal Delfi states. A combination of laws, one which makes the punishment of driving while drunk or high punishable by the state confiscating the vehicle being driven, and another which permits the government to transfer its own property to the Ukrainian government makes this process possible.

According to the Delfi report, a steady supply of cars for Ukraine to use in the war against the Russian invasion is being harvested this way, with five more confiscated in just one day last week.

The process has been underway at least since March 2023, with an interview with Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš — who was born in Wilmington, Delaware after his parents fled the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1944 — noting he said only the best, most useful vehicles were being donated.

The donation of civilian automobiles may be among the least warlike of the huge amount of materiel given to the Ukrainian army by Western governments since Russia restarted its invasion of the country last year, but that is not to say they are without utility. British observers of the war last year, for instance, were interested to note last year the prevalence of trucks and cars being driven by militia in the conflict with the distinctive UK registration plates still attached.

One of the reasons for the prevalence of UK-registered pickup trucks in the Ukraine was, it was reported at the time, is the fact the UK drives on the left, so vehicles are typically right-hand drive. Because this is now comparatively rare as much of the world either started with or switched to left-hand-drive, the market for second-hand British trucks is much smaller and competing with fewer potential customers, buyers for donation Ukraine are up against less competition.

It was reported in April 2022 that pickup trucks bought in the UK were roughly half the price of those that could be bought on the continent and would be loaded on the back of lorries ready for the six-day drive to Ukraine.