The vehicles have been left in outdoor parking lots for prolonged periods of time.  

There has been a huge rise in the number of police-impounded vehicles in HCM City and Dong Nai Province

Many vehicle owners didn’t bother to come to the police stations to collect their vehicles because the fines they have to pay are often higher than the value of the vehicle or they do not have the necessary documents to prove their ownership.

In 2017, up to 10,000 vehicles in HCM City were auctioned.

The police team in Binh Chanh District’s Phu Lam area said impounding had dramatically increased in the 2015-2017 period, but the number has decreased so far this year because many expired registrations had been already revoked.

The huge number of seized vehicles left ownerless have further pressured local parking lots, particularly in the context of the city’s limited land. Fire safety at the lots is also a matter of concern.

Many of the bikes are little more than scrap metal.

According to the Dong Nai traffic police, at present, up to 6,997 out of a total 7,755 impounded vehicles were defined to be ownerless as their owners had not come to get them within the regulated time. 

Many motorbikes have become rusty

Under the current regulations, owners of detained vehicles have to come to police stations within 90 days. The fine is published in the mass media three times. After this time, vehicles will be disposed of.

In many cases, auctions require complicated procedures related to different agencies, so Dong Nai authorities have suggested shortening the time for the fine settlement to ease overload for parking lots.

Lawyer Nguyen Tri Duc from the HCM City Lawyers’ Association said that it is necessary to have specific regulations on shortening the time spent dealing with impounded vehicles.