Some small car dealers who specialise in importing vehicles from Europe say their businesses are under immense pressure following the exposure of an international stolen vehicle ring by police last month.
While not implicated in the ongoing investigation, these independent dealers, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the issue, said they were bearing the brunt of public suspicion and financial fallout.
One dealer based in Christ Church, who has been importing used BMWs and Mercedes-Benz models for several years, said the damage to his business was immediate.
“We haven’t had a single vehicle flagged, but our phones stopped ringing. People hear ‘UK [United Kingdom] car’ and they freeze,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter that we’ve always followed the rules – nobody wants to take the risk.”
Another dealer, operating in St Michael, said he had three potential buyers walk away from deals last week, all citing concerns over the vehicle’s origin.
“They asked questions I’ve never heard before, like, ‘Can you guarantee the police won’t seize this a year from now?’ I can show them every document I have, but now they want DVLA printouts and ownership logs going back five years.”
A third dealer said while the vehicles involved in the smuggling ring were reportedly moved through legitimate channels, he believed gaps in the Customs inspection process enabled the racket.
“If stolen vehicles were cleared by the port, that’s a failure at the border. Dealers like us rely on that system to catch red flags before a car reaches our lot,” he said.
He explained that small importers of European vehicles, unlike larger franchise dealerships, operate on tight margins and depend on consumer trust.
“We don’t have corporate legal teams or overseas offices. We do the paperwork ourselves and now that trust is broken, we’re in trouble.”
Another dealer, who imports European and Japanese vehicles, said interest in his European imports
have waned significantly.
“Customers now associate Europe with trouble. Even though the issue is specific to a ring in the UK, they’re lumping all of us in.”
He added that restoring confidence would require more than just press releases.
“We need new systems, VIN [vehicle identification number] checks tied to European databases, clear standards for verifying documents and support from the Government in educating the public. Otherwise, the stigma will stick.”
While authorities have not indicated whether any local dealers were complicit in the smuggling operation, those importing from Europe said they were facing a form of financial punishment regardless.
“We’re the ones trying to do things the right way but overnight, we’ve become collateral damage.”
With investigations ongoing and consumer confidence shaken, small dealers are bracing for a difficult period.
“We built our reputation over years,” said the St Michael dealer. “Now it’s going to take just as long to rebuild it – if we can survive that long.”
The Barbados Police Service revealed last month that more than 300 high-end vehicles stolen in the UK were smuggled into Barbados. At least a dozen of these cars, including Range Rovers, Audis, and BMWs, have already been seized.
Investigators said the cars entered the island through legitimate ports using falsified documentation and altered or cloned VINs. The vehicles were then registered and sold to unsuspecting buyers.
The revelations have triggered widespread concern among some consumers and insurers.
The General Insurance Association of Barbados also warned that insurance coverage might be voided if a vehicle is later found to have been stolen, even if the buyer acted in good faith. That warning has rattled some confidence in the market for UK and European imports. (CLM)
Putting a Dent in de SMALL MAN.