April 2020

NEWS n Car dealer turned drug smuggler jailed A Liverpool car dealer caught coming back into the UK with over £1m of cocaine hidden in his Subaru Impreza was sentenced to nine years in prison last month, after being unanimously found guilty by a jury at Canterbury Crown Court in less than an hour. 33-year old Abdullah Iqbal was stopped and questioned in the Eurotunnel UK zone in France by Border Force officers. He said he had travelled to and from Germany’s Nürburgring. After noting apparent irregularities with the bumpers, officers searched his car. KentOnline reported that they found 14 kilograms of cocaine secreted behind the front and rear bumpers. Following his arrest, he told police that at various times during his trip to the German racing track the car had been out of his sight. He was then released on bail. During his trial last month, the court head that he acquired the car, passport and Eurotunnel ticket only days before his trip, and the subsequent arrest on 11 September 2017. Mr Iqbal maintained that the drugs were planted, and that he had no idea they were there. Prosecutors contended that he was lying about his trip, that instead he had gone to Rotterdam, and returned to Calais in less than 24 hours. Mr Iqbal’s phone contained photos of Jack’s Casino and Campanile Hotel, both in Rotterdam. Digital logs also showed he had used the Wi-Fi. Government consults on E10 at the pump MONTH 2017 AFTERMARKET 5 www.aftermarketonline.net Business management software designed for the automotive aftermarket Integrate your sales, stock management, accounting and reporting processes in one easy-to-use package. Visit www.mamsoft.co.uk/autopart or call us on 01226 352901 Petrol with a higher bioethanol content could be sold in the UK from next year. The government is consulting on whether E10, which has 10% bioethanol content, should become the new standard grade of petrol. The E5 grade, containing 5% bioethanol, has a higher carbon content. The Department for Transport says the move could reduce transport CO2 emissions by 750,000 per year. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The next 15 years will be absolutely crucial for slashing emissions from our roads, as we all start to feel the benefits of the transition to a zero-emission future. Before electric cars become the norm, we want to take advantage of reduced CO2 emissions today. This small switch to petrol containing bioethanol at 10% will help drivers across country reduce the environmental impact of every journey. Overall this could equate to about 350,000 cars being taken off our roads entirely. The E10 blend is already common other countries including Belgium, Finland, France and Germany. Commenting on the technical implications that garages could face, Dan Morgan, Director, Sales and Operations at Lucas Oil Products UK said: “European and Asian car manufacturers have already dealt with this issue in the US, where, for the last six years, up to 10% ethanol has been the standard. “There are specific implications for older cars, but precisely how the potential for change will affect UK motorists driving more recent models in the UK depends a lot on how the car making operations in Europe have been prepared for this change – how they have prepared their UK offerings to meet the challenge. “Most likely concerns relate to oil contamination, fuel economy, fuel hose and seal damage in older vehicles, and corrosion related to increased water in the fuel system. Ethanol is hydroscopic, meaning that it pulls water from the air and, therefore, there is potential for corrosion of metal part inside exhausts, the engine itself and throughout the fuel system. Oil contamination may be a potential issue, too. Ethanol has a corrosive influence on the inside of rubber fuel hoses. Many older vehicles are at risk.” Dan added: “UK drivers may see a small decrease in fuel economy, which is probably not noticeable at 5%, but may be at 10%. There is simply less heat energy in the same volume of ethanol than there is in petrol. Minor adjustments in driving habits, such as consolidating short trips into single longer trips when practical might be advisable for drivers. More frequent oil changes may be required.” The consultation announcement follows the announcement in February of a revised 2035 cut- off for the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles, which Grant Shapps then subsequently said could be rolled forward to 2032. www.aftermarketonline.net APRIL 20 AFTERMARKET 7