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29 March 2024

$1 million Ferrari Enzo is not for sale: Dubai Police

Published
By Mohammed Al Sadafy

Many British, Americans, Indians and Russians have asked to buy a limited edition red Ferrari Enzo, that has been gathering dust at the Dubai Police car pound, along with several other luxury cars.

Despite rumours of an impending auction circulating around the world, Dubai Police told Emirates 24|7 that the cars have been seized as part of evidence from various crimes such as robbery, and are not for sale.

Captain Khalid Al Kamali, said 9 luxury cars have been seized as they were part of thefts. Seven of them were stolen from their owners within the UAE, and two cars from abroad.

"The one Ferrari Enzo and the another regular Ferrari are required by Interpol. So, the nine cars are not for sale."

"We have received many calls from traders - Britons, Americans, Russians and Indians want to buy the Ferrari Enzo, worth about a $1 million, after a report published by Emirates 24|7 on luxury cars seized at the General Directorate of Traffic in Dubai.

He said the cars on Interpol notice are usually stolen from another country. "They shall not be disposed of, except in accordance with procedures specified in coordination between the real owner of the car, Interpol and the Interior Ministry in the UAE," said Capt Al Kamali.

There are more than 35 cars luxury cars at the Dubai Police car pound of which, nine [including the Ferari Enzo] are not for sale based on reports of theft.

The rest are held for various reasons including failure to renew the licence of the car for a long time and non-payment of accumulated fines.

Also, some are held as they were involved in accidents and their owners fled from the scene, and some cars are held at the request of the investigation, or issues still pending in court.

The nine stolen cars include the two Ferraris (both red), yellow Porsche, silver Porsche, black Corvette, silver BMW and three black Mercedes.

Capt Al Kamali stressed that vehicles that are booked based on claims or reports of domestic or international theft cannot be part of the auctions organised by the Traffic Department of Dubai.

Auctions are for all other cars that have been with the polie for more than 6 months, have not been involved in crime and have been unclaimed by their owners. According to Law 34 of 2008, such cars can be auctioned following an announcement published in the local press 30 days before the date of the auction.

Auctioned Dubai cars go for just Dh10,700
 
Seized cars were sold at a public auction for an average price of some Dh10,700.

The General Directorate of Traffic in Dubai held an auction on Wednesday in which 127 cars were put on the block.

They sold for Dh1.36 million.

These cars had been lying unclaimed at the police car pound for more than seven months.

Cars that have been with the police for more than 6 months, have not been involved in any crime and have been unclaimed by their owners, can be auctioned. According to Law 34 of 2008, such cars can be auctioned following an announcement published in the local press 30 days before the date of the auction.

31% abandoned cars not retrieved by owners

Thirty-one per cent of owners of neglected or abandoned cars confiscated by the municipality do not recover the vehicles within six months from the date of confiscation, according to statistics of Dubai Municipality.

The percentage of owners who do not recover their abandoned cars fell from 41.5 per cent in 2010 to 31 per cent this year.

The Waste Department of Dubai Municipality tracks abandoned and neglected vehicles in the parking yards and public places and then fixes a notice  to the cars asking  owners to report to the municipality within 15 days from the date of the notice, failing which the vehicle will be towed to the municipality’s scrap yard and kept there for six months.

The municipality gives the car owner a deadline of six months during which time he can retrieve his vehicle after paying a fee of Dh710.

The municipality will auction the car if it is not retrieved by the owner within six months

1,492 usable cars were confiscated in 2010, out of which 875 (58.5 per cent) were recovered by their owners. In 2011, 1,189 cars were seized, out of which 823 (69 per cent) were claimed by their owners.

Ibrahim Yaqoub, director of contracts at Dubai Municipality, said the car owners’ financial problems forcing them to leave the country was one of the reasons for abandoning their cars.  Sometimes, people go on vacation, leaving the car in a parking lot and are surprised to know that the car has been auctioned off when they return.

The numbers of the car bodies taken from the streets of Dubai last year were 1,221, which decreased to 1,132  in 2011.

He said Dubai Municipality will launch a new service in 2012, which is to send SMS to owners of cars abandoned in streets, warning them that the municipality will confiscate their cars within 15 days. He added the department is coordinating with RTA which has the numbers of the cars.