A Balga man has been fined $4,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court on 5 July 2019 after pleading guilty to operating a large car dealing operation without a licence.

Wesam Mohammed had bought and sold more than 80 vehicles from June 2017 to August 2018. He was also ordered to pay $426 in costs.

In considering the penalty, Magistrate Young took into account the guilty plea and the fact that Mr Mohammed now has a licence, but said it was important the Court impose a penalty to ensure a culture of compliance in the community.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said the number of vehicles traded while Mr Mohammed was unlicensed made it a major illegal operation.

“In a 14 month period Mr Mohammed bought 83 vehicles privately and sold 81 via Gumtree, robbing many buyers of their basic consumer rights,” Mr Hillyard said.

“By not offering warranties as required, Mr Mohammed created unfair competition for licensed motor vehicle dealers who play by the rules and offer their customers the protections that the law provides.

“I urge consumers to stay away from unlicensed dealers as their demand fuels this illegal activity. Anyone with information about unlicensed dealers should contact us so we can take the appropriate action.”

Consumers can check whether a motor vehicle dealer is licensed by doing a search on the Consumer Protection website: www.consumerprotection.wa.gov.au. Unlicensed dealers can be reported by emailing consumer@demirs.wa.gov.au or by calling 1300 30 40 54.

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Media Contact: Alan Hynd, (08) 6552 9248 / 0429 078 791 / alan.hynd@demirs.wa.gov.au