MDC BULLETIN
AUGUST 15, 2006
Two North Vancouver "curbers" charged
A recent news release (shown below) is the culmination of an 18-month investigation led by MDC Investigator Ross Coté. It began with a call from an ICBC investigator who reported his suspicion that the two individuals may be curbing vehicles with tampered odometer readings.
The preliminary check revealed that neither man had a valid motor dealer licence nor a salesperson licence. There was also no prior record of employment with any licensed dealer. A meeting involving MDC, ICBC and the RCMP followed to prepare a strategy for investigation. The result to date is shown in the news release.
One of the most persistent complaints MDC hears from the motor dealer industry concerns curbers. Reputable dealers protest that they work hard to follow the rules, pay all taxes and fees, but get consistently undermined by a grey market of illegal, unlicensed sales. "Curbers" - technically anyone who sells a car other than their own personal transport for the purpose of business - violates the provincial Motor Dealer Act. Enforcement is difficult because absolutely nobody has "curber" on their business card. They claim to be "agents, wholesalers, brokers, auctioneers, importers, exporters, bailiffs, financiers, collection agents and manufacturers," among other euphemisms. It would take a change of legislation to put all of these people under the same legislation to which licensed dealers have to adhere.
"On behalf of consumers, we very much appreciate the cooperation of Crown Counsel, ICBC and the RCMP in this current case," said Eray Karabilgin, MDC's Director of Regulatory Services. "The allegations of odometer tampering , tax evasion and false documents raised its priority in the eyes of the justice system, but the entire industry needs to approach the issue of curbing with the same unity and determination that characterized this investigation."
For the detailed accounts of these charges please click here (pdf).
MDC news release: Car "curbers" face criminal charges
NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. (August 15, 2005) - Two local men face criminal charges related to illegal business practices with respect to the sale of motor vehicles.
A joint investigation by the Motor Dealer Council of BC (MDC), ICBC and the RCMP led to charges against Ramin Karamali and Mandana Mansouri Tehrani . The charges filed by the Crown Prosecutor state that Karamali is also known as Raymond, and sometimes with the surname Caramel, Carmali or Karmali. They are scheduled to appear in North Vancouver Provincial Court on August 23.
The six separate charges relate to forged documents, sales tax evasion, selling vehicles without a valid motor dealer licence and odometer tampering . It is alleged that they consistently attempted to evade sales tax by misrepresenting vehicle transfers as gifts.
The MDC investigation began in the fall of 2004 and ultimately involved the study of 35 vehicles. It was quickly ascertained that neither of the subjects had a valid motor dealer licence as required by law to engage in the business of selling vehicles, nor a motor vehicle salesperson licence which is also required by law. Meticulous tracing of vehicle histories and interviews with purchasers, led to the charges.
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