01 December 2022
It’s not uncommon to see a supercar like a Ferrari Enzo, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Bentleys, and Nissan Skylines lying around airports and car parks left to decay across the United Arab Emirates every year.
According to Gulf News, 2,000 to 3,000 cars are abandoned in Dubai annually.
But why?
It has to do with Dubai’s economic demography. Over 90% of Dubai’s residents are ex-pats living in Dubai, meaning they have to follow the laws of Dubai too.
Dubai has a legal system governed by Sharia Law, under which non-payment of any debt is a criminal offence,
UAE has no bankruptcy laws, which means there is no protection for those who fail to meet their car repayments, pay off their credit card bills or default on their mortgage; they go straight to prison without an ounce of mercy.
There are other options, but fleeing Dubai is favoured.
However, owners usually have 15 days to claim their cars before they become state property and then auctioned.
And this explains the number of police patrol cars seen in the UAE.
