£300k car fraud lands Flint trader four-year sentence
A Flint car dealer who sold written-off vehicles to unsuspecting buyers across the UK has been jailed for four years after a major investigation by Flintshire County Council’s Trading Standards team.
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 court heard how between March 2021 and June 2023, Muhammed used Facebook Marketplace and eBay to advertise cars without disclosing that they were insurance write-offs, despite repeated warnings from Trading Standards officers.
Operating from The Old Ambulance Station on Chester Road in Flint, Muhammed obtained a significant number of Category N and Category S vehicles from salvage auctions.
He failed to mention their write-off status in online adverts and, in some cases, altered listings after vehicles were sold in a bid to falsely suggest the information had always been available.
Customers across the country reported buying vehicles that later broke down, leaving them with costly repairs.
Some said they would not have purchased the cars had they known their true condition, with one describing the fear of having unknowingly driven children in an unsafe vehicle.
Lee Reynolds, prosecuting on behalf of Flintshire Trading Standards, told the court that Muhammed used false names, changed social media profiles to avoid detection and made numerous excuses when confronted by customers.
He said “all roads, after diligent investigation, led back to the defendant”.
At sentencing, Judge Timothy Petts said buying a car was one of the most significant purchases a person could make.
He told Muhammed that he had lied to sell the cars and even changed adverts after the fact to make it seem he had been honest.
“You acted thoroughly dishonestly,” the judge said, adding that Muhammed showed no remorse and had attempted to blame others. “All I see is further lies,” he said.
Councillor Chris Bithell, Cabinet Member for Planning, Public Health and Public Protection, said: “Whilst selling insurance write-offs is not illegal, withholding this information is. It must be made known to customers so they can make informed decisions.”
He added: “This case shows that Flintshire Trading Standards take these matters seriously and will prosecute where necessary to protect the public and legitimate traders.”
An application under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 has been made in an attempt to secure compensation for victims, with a hearing expected later this year.
