In the traces of a circuit that presented beaten imported luxury vehicles as “clean” in the property titles (kotsiani) is the Police. According to information from “P”, civil servants are also allegedly involved in the circuit. The Police already arrested a woman who had the role of agent yesterday, while other arrests are expected in the coming days. An employee or employees of the Road Transport Department (TOM) are said to have issued the title deeds of these vehicles, without any mention that they were imported to Cyprus beaten or almost disassembled. As a result, citizens who were not aware of the previous real situation of the vehicles they bought for tens of thousands of euros were deceived and had the impression that they were almost new. It is being investigated whether sellers of used vehicles are also involved in the cabin. According to the same information, the senior official of TOM who found out the activity of the circuit in the provincial office of TOM in Nicosia, was recently targeted by arsonists. They tried to shut him up and intimidate him by completely destroying his two vehicles parked in his house. Both he and other colleagues express fears for their lives.
Complaint six months ago
The TOM official who revealed the action of the circuit with the beaten – disassembled cars, after collecting evidence confirming the combine, informed his boss, who in turn informed the Minister of Transport Mr. Giannis Karousos who made a complaint to the Police. As we were duly told, the Police have been investigating the case in complete secrecy for six months and obviously, when the members of the circuit found out that the action
The first arrest
As part of the ongoing investigations, the Police yesterday arrested a woman for the crime of forgery, who works as an agent, and specifically deals with the registration of used vehicles in the Road Transport Department. The court yesterday issued a detention order for a period of three days.
As we were duly told, investigations are underway in all the provincial offices of the Road Transport Department in order to determine, on the one hand, whether the activity of the circuit was extended to other cities and on the other hand, to determine precisely the extent of the fraud.
Protection measures
According to the same information, the public official who revealed the action of the circuit, as a result of which his vehicles were burned, had a private meeting with the Minister of Transport, Mr. Giannis Karousos, who assured him that he is by his side and that the state will protect him. At the same time, actions are being taken by Mr. Karousos in order for the Republic to compensate the said public official for the damage he suffered with the complete destruction of his two vehicles by arson.
In addition, instructions were given to all the provincial offices of TOM not to allow the agents to enter the offices of the employees.
Insurance valves
On the occasion of this case, the Ministry of Transport decided to amend the current legislation to include safety valves that prevent the possibility of fraud with imported battered vehicles, for which there is a clear issue of road safety. Under the new procedure being launched, all imported used cars will be inspected before the title deed is issued and not necessarily by public officials, in order to ascertain their true condition and be recorded in the title deed.
