Of the 316 car companies in the municipality of Hoogeveen, almost half are not findable, visible or professional. That could possibly indicate shady practices. This is evident from a report by the Court of Audit that investigated criminal activities in the car industry.
The Court of Audit has examined all car companies. A test was carried out to see how visible they are. 17 points were tested, with companies that score all 17 points being invisible. A score of 9 and above indicates an insufficient grade. “Given the idea that every company wants to be found by customers in order to make sales, a failing grade is a signal that the company may be shady.”
The research is part of a larger report that focuses on undermining in Hoogeveen. A term used for organized crime. Subversion is an opportunity for criminals to carry out illegal activities through legal companies. Think of drug trafficking, cannabis cultivation or money laundering. Activities that may also occur more often in the automotive industry.
The Court of Audit noticed that in Hoogeveen there is 1 car company per 175 inhabitants. The Netherlands has around 44,000 car companies, which is 1 in 410 inhabitants. A difference that the researchers call remarkable.
The fact that half of the car companies have an insufficient score does not necessarily mean that they are all shady, but it can give the idea that something is going on. The suspicions are shared by police and experts. Discussions have been held about this. “It’s rattling on all sides and doesn’t feel good, but we can’t put our finger on it,” says an expert quoted in the report on the issue.
It must therefore be mentioned that much of the knowledge shared with the Court of Audit is based on gut feelings. According to the experts, possible fraudulent practices in the automotive world can be divided into two categories. The first concerns (former) caravan residents who have traditionally been active in the car world.
“With these companies you have to wonder whether the meter reading is correct when you buy a car,” the report says. According to the experts, this group is to a lesser extent active in the drug trade. The other group may be an unknown part of immigrant car dealers. The experts say they are better organized when it comes to drug crime.
Some buildings also do not invite you to visit. It is messy or there are dangerous dogs, according to the report.
Some of the companies are often closed during the week. According to the researchers, this raises the question of what they can remain open about. “This also applies to businesses where customers are rarely seen even though they are open all week.” Many of the other owners of car companies for which there are suspicions of criminal activity are active in other industries that have little to do with the car world.
In order to get a finger behind everything, professionals say it is important that there is more clarity about the actions of company owners. People who visit the company also need to be better mapped. “There is too little insight into the automotive industry, especially the smaller companies.” The investigation has not yet been fully completed. The Court of Audit is still waiting for more files from the police.
In addition to the car industry, the Court of Audit notes that the municipality of Hoogeveen does not monitor cannabis cultivation and possible criminal activities with real estate locations. The researchers therefore advocate, among other things, an undermining hotline. The municipal council will discuss the research at the end of September.