Lid could have been lifted on used car scam

The Association of Second Hand Car Dealers, (AECO), yesterday announced that this week it will be informing the Palma police, traffic department and the tax office of a suspected second hand car scam in Majorca. AECO President, Bartolomé Salom, revealed yesterday, that the association claims it has rumbled an illegal network of second hand car dealers which is operating “without paying the corresponding taxes.” According to Salom, the association first became suspicious after a huge increase in the number of vehicles being driven around Palma with Se Vende (for sale) notices on their windows. Salom said yesterday that in many of the cases, the advertised telephone numbers are the same. Armed with its case, the Association willthis week hand over its report and claims to the head of the Traffic department, the Guardia Civil, the central government delegate in Palma and the National Police so that the security forces are fully aware of what appears to be happening and able to launch an investigation. According to Salom a similar racket was uncovered a few years ago, but Salom said that as soon as the Association went public with its concerns, just as it did yesterday, “the illegal activity stopped because those behind it got nervous.” Salom also took the opportunity yesterday to heavily criticise the illegal competition in the second hand car market in Majorca. The Association's president said that the racket is fuelling a “black market economy, which does not pay the required taxes and neither offers guarantees for vehicles sold.” Salom, whose Association is part of the Majorcan Small to Medium Business Federation, added yesterday that his members are also concerned about the recent revelations of a stolen luxury car market in Majorca.