Customs seize used American cars

Used car suppliers from the United States revealed that the customs administration in all ports of the Kingdom is currently holding all imported cars because they were sold on a leasing and installment system, and used by car rental companies in America and considered them unusable cars, stressing that the detention of cars began before Eid al-Adha and was not allowed until a few days ago. Without printing its customs cards, as a result of the port administration’s complaint as a result of the cars’ accumulation in large areas.

Youssef Al-Nasser, an investor in the used car sector imported from America, Youssef Al-Nasser, said: “The customs administration in all the Kingdom’s ports detained all imported cars that were sold under the lease-to-own system (installments), and used by car rental companies in America, and considered them damaged and unusable (salvage).” Some of them are 2013 models and have not traveled 10,000 km.

He added that the cars banned by the previous decision consist of 3 types of cars, which are police cars and taxis, which were subjected to coups, fires, or sank in floods, and these are basically their forms withdrawn by the US government and it is mentioned in them that they are damaged (salvage) and they are prohibited from entering the Kingdom because they are not usable. .

Al-Nasser confirmed that the customs administration has detained cars before Eid al-Adha, and it was not allowed for them until a few days ago, and their customs cards were not printed. It is not official and is not recognized by the US authorities. Even these sites themselves do not guarantee the accuracy of the information and indicate in every report that they are not responsible for any incorrect information.

He pointed out that the ban included even cars that had very minor accidents that were not cleared and seized at the port, and an undertaking was taken from the importer to re-export them within two months or to be confiscated, and this is shown on the websites of the information companies that they had accidents and that they are in excellent condition, but they were listed under the name Damaged and it is forbidden to enter and sell them. In the Kingdom’s markets, which led to the accumulation of imported cars in the port, and importers suffered major losses.

Al-Nasser emphasized that international car factories such as General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have leasing companies that specialize in leasing modern cars for a period of one or two months to citizens in order to introduce them to the quality of their industry so that they can buy from them after live experiences and then sell these cars in the local or foreign markets after they travel a distance of 5 km. Thousands of miles, but the Kingdom’s customs authorities treated them as completely damaged cars that are not fit for use.

He explained that the merchants submitted an official letter to the customs administration at the port, and it was not finally answered. Accordingly, a complaint was filed with the Royal Court, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Chambers of Commerce in the Kingdom, and the merchants are still awaiting a response.

Al-Nasser pointed out that the Customs Authority from time to time enacts regulations on imported used cars, the latest of which was the decision to prevent the entry of cars less than five years old, even though the system was clear and stipulates that imports be banned for a period of three years, and then it is re-examined again to see the extent of its benefit. Whether or not, but the customs did not open the study file again even though the decision passed five years ago because it takes into account the interests of car agencies and not the interest of the consumer who started resorting to scrap cars because he could not buy a new car whose price exceeds 100 thousand riyals or buy in installments with high profits.

He called on the customs administration at the port to release all the seized cars so that the merchants would not suffer additional losses and deprive the consumer of obtaining a good vehicle of a modern model and commensurate with his income instead of forcing him to scrap cars sold in the market.