An association of used car dealers has pledged to introduce random annual checks of its members, as it seeks to weed out cheats following a mileage tampering scandal. 

The Used Vehicle Importers Association said the random checks would be focused on ensuring members are "genuine, trustworthy and compliant with relevant laws". It did not elaborate. 

Consumer protection authorities are currently investigating an alleged scam that involved wiping tens of thousands of kilometres off the odometers of cars imported from Japan. As of Thursday, 57 people had filed official complaints to the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.

Two dealerships that form part of the UVIA - Rokku and Tal-Qasab - are being investigated by police in connection with the alleged racket. Both have been suspended by the UVIA.  Neither has been charged with any crime and both deny wrongdoing. 

Transport Malta has since distanced itself from the scandal, saying that it is the police force and customs department that are responsible for verifying paperwork filed by car importers.  

The association said on Friday that its council had agreed to implement stricter measures to ensure that such instances do not transpire in the future.

The annual random checks “will serve as an internal audit exercise to make sure that members of the association are genuine, trustworthy and compliant with the relevant laws applicable to car dealerships,” it said in a statement.

UVIA secretary general Albert Fenech had last week also said that the association would be meeting with its members individually, as it seeks to restore the reputation of reputable car dealers. 

The association encouraged customers subjected to tempered milage to report their respective Importer to the authorities, including the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority, the police, and Transport Malta.

It again condemned “any form of abuse” by car dealerships, which left a negative reputation on other car dealers who always acted diligently and genuinely.