A Flint-based car dealer has been sentenced to four years in prison after a trading standards investigation revealed he sold written-off vehicles without informing buyers.
Zana Ahmed Muhammed, 42, was sentenced at Mold Crown Court on 28 April after pleading guilty to fraudulent trading under the Fraud Act 2006.
The case, led by Flintshire County Council’s trading standards team, followed numerous complaints from customers across the UK.
- Dealer jailed for fraud after selling insurance write-offs as roadworthy cars, leaving buyers out of pocket and at risk
- Fake identities and altered adverts hid true vehicle histories, court hears
- Judge slams dealer’s “thorough dishonesty” as victims unknowingly drove the potentially lethal cars
A Flint-based car dealer has been sentenced to four years in prison after a trading standards investigation revealed he sold written-off vehicles without informing buyers.
Zana Ahmed Muhammed, 42, was sentenced at Mold Crown Court on 28 April after pleading guilty to fraudulent trading under the Fraud Act 2006.
The case, led by Flintshire County Council’s trading standards team, followed numerous complaints from customers across the UK.
Buyers reported they were unaware the vehicles they purchased from The Old Ambulance Station on Chester Road in Flint had been declared insurance write-offs, only discovering this after purchase.
Between March 2021 and June 2023, Muhammed used Facebook Marketplace and eBay to advertise vehicles, failing to disclose their write-off status despite being previously warned by trading standards officers.
An in-depth investigation revealed a large number of Category N and Category S cars had been bought from salvage auctions, then listed online without any indication of their history.
In some instances, adverts were edited post-sale to falsely suggest the disclosure had always been made.
Several vehicles broke down soon after purchase, leaving buyers with costly repair bills, sometimes amounting to thousands of pounds. Some customers expressed deep concern over safety, especially as they had transported their children in the vehicles.
Prosecutor Lee Reynolds, representing Flintshire Trading Standards, told the court that Muhammed used false identities, altered online profiles, and made excuses when confronted by customers.
Reynolds stated that “all roads, after diligent investigation, led back to the defendant” and described repeated and deliberate efforts to mislead buyers.
Judge Timothy Petts, during sentencing, emphasised the seriousness of the offence: “The purchase of a car, after a house, is one of the most significant purchases someone will make.”
He added that Muhammed “lied about the cars, because if he told the truth then people wouldn’t buy them,” and condemned the defendant’s efforts to retroactively alter adverts to appear truthful.
The judge also noted Muhammed’s lack of remorse and his attempts to shift blame, stating “all I see is further lies” and that he had acted “thoroughly dishonestly.”
Councillor Chris Bithell commented: “Despite being advised by trading standards officers, Mr Muhammed continued to fail to declare that the cars were insurance write-offs. Whilst selling insurance write-offs is not illegal, withholding this information is illegal and it must be made known to prospective customers to allow them to make an informed decision before buying a car.
An application under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) has been to recover funds for compensating victims, with a hearing scheduled for later in the year.
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