‘A Very Foul Practice’: Japan Exporters Cut Ties With Maltese Importers After Tampering Scandal
The Japanese exporters that worked with two Maltese importers at the centre of a meter tampering scandal have cut all ties with the local companies.
SBT Japan have severed all contacts with Tal-Qasab and Rokku, companies accused of tricking around 300 Maltese clients by tampering with the mileage counts of cars they were importing.
In a letter to Independent politician Arnold Cassola, Adeel Khan, the manager in charge of sales for Malta, informed that he considers the behaviour of the two car dealers to be “a very foul practice to follow”.
“It is shameful that Malta’s reputation has again been tainted internationally, this time by two unscrupulous car dealers,” Cassola said.
“While it is important that total compensation is given by these dealers to all the people conned, one wonders why Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli seems to be happy with a behind the scenes private settlement and why the police have not yet arraigned the two in court, since this is a criminal offence of massive proportions,” he continued.
“Is the dealer’s friendship with and acquaintance of present and past politicians a reason for trying to hush down this scandal?” Cassola ended.
Following the racket being revealed, hundreds of car owners who suspected their cars may have been tampered with had to verify their odometer readings, before speaking to the authorities if they suspected foul play.
The local importers would buy high mileage cars from Japan, and when in Malta they would slash the mileages to take advantage financially.
Some cars had their mileage cut from anything between 30,000 to 130,000 kilometres.
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