A recent auction by a company offered 133 motorcycles and two-wheeled vehicles for sale as scrap. With a starting price of VND 97.1 million, this lot averaged around VND 730,000 per vehicle.
It is understood that vehicles unable to meet re-registration requirements will have their frames and engines destroyed, with auction winners responsible for removing the frame and engine numbers before leaving the warehouse and bearing any incurred costs.
These vehicles and items were confiscated by the District 5 Police in Ho Chi Minh City and will be auctioned according to current regulations.
A pile of motorcycles at a temporary storage facility in Hoc Mon District. Source: Tien Phong
Auctioning off confiscated items has been practiced in many provinces and cities across the country. Most recently, in mid-July 2024, the Police of Dong Da District, Hanoi, auctioned a lot of 71 used two-wheeled motorcycles. These vehicles were ownerless and were established as state-owned by the People’s Committee of Dong Da District.
Most of the 71 motorcycles still had license plates and were of various Honda and Yamaha models, including Dream and Sirius. Many of them no longer had identifiable frame and engine numbers or production years.
A common feature of these vehicles is that due to the lengthy process of confiscation, destruction, and auction of violation exhibits, they are all in a dilapidated and unusable state. The starting price of this lot was VND 42.3 million, averaging nearly VND 600,000 per vehicle.
Similarly, in Can Tho, the Police of Phong Dien District are liquidating 118 motorcycles, 20 of which are eligible for re-registration, while the rest are sold as scrap. The starting price of this lot is VND 96.9 million, excluding VAT.
Why Do Vehicle Owners Abandon Their Vehicles?
According to a report by Seasia Stats, in 2023, Vietnam had the highest rate of motorcycle usage in Southeast Asia. The motorcycle-to-population ratio in Vietnam reached 72.8%, surpassing other countries in the region, including Brunei (67.2%), Malaysia (45.2%), Indonesia (45.1%), and Thailand (30.6%).
Additionally, according to World Atlas, Vietnam ranks second in the world in terms of household motorcycle ownership, with 86% of households owning a motorcycle, second only to Thailand (87%).
A parking lot filled with confiscated vehicles in Hanoi. Source: Nguoi Lao Dong
The main reason why motorcycles are so popular in Vietnam is their affordability for the majority of the population. Additionally, the compact size of motorcycles makes them ideal for navigating through the country’s narrow alleys and congested traffic conditions.
For many Vietnamese, motorcycles are not just a means of transportation but also a valuable asset for families. So, why would owners abandon these valuable assets when they are confiscated?
According to Kinh tế và Đô thị, the primary reason for vehicle abandonment is a lack of proper registration or lost registration documents, fake license plates, or illegally imported vehicles bought on the black market.
Another reason is that some owners are involved in criminal activities, such as using stolen vehicles or carrying illegal substances like drugs, and therefore dare not come forward to claim their vehicles from the police.
Moreover, the fines for violations often exceed the actual value of the vehicles, and the process of reclaiming them is time-consuming, leading many owners to decide to abandon their confiscated vehicles.
According to Clause 4, Article 126 of the 2012 Law on Handling Administrative Violations (as amended and supplemented in 2020) and Article 17 of Decree 138/2021/ND-CP on the management and preservation of exhibits and means of violation handling:
– In cases where the violator, owner, manager, or lawful user of the exhibit or means is identified, the person making the detention decision must notify them twice.
+ The first notification must be made within 3 working days from the date of expiry of the detention period of the exhibit or means. The second notification shall be made within 7 working days from the date of the first notification.
+ If, after 1 month from the date of the second notification, the violator, owner, manager, or lawful user does not come to receive the exhibit or means, the competent authority shall, within 5 working days, make a decision to confiscate the exhibit or means of administrative violation.
– In cases where the violator, owner, manager, or lawful user of the exhibit or means is not identified, the person making the detention decision must notify twice through the mass media of the Central or local agency where the exhibit or means is detained.
+ The first notification must be made within 3 working days from the date of expiry of the detention period of the exhibit or means. The second notification shall be made within 7 working days from the date of the first notification.
+ If, after 1 year from the date of the second notification, the violator, owner, manager, or lawful user does not come to receive the exhibit or means, the competent authority shall, within 5 working days, make a decision to confiscate the exhibit or means of administrative violation.
