Saka has zero tolerance for the gray economy in the car trade

There has recently been well-founded public discussion about the risks of tax evasion and gray economy related to international imported car sales, as well as companies under investigation by Customs. Saka has also been mentioned in connection with this news coverage. We want to emphasize that the investigation is not directed at us and our knowledge of the matter is entirely based on what has been reported in the news. We are therefore not aware of any investigation related to cars imported by Saka.

Saka's position on the reported matter is unequivocal: we do not accept any form of VAT evasion or other criminal activity. It goes completely against our values of reliability and transparency. We ensure that none of our customers will suffer harm from such a situation if it later comes to light that one of our suppliers has acted against our guidelines and fraudulently toward us.

As part of our risk management process, we continuously monitor our European suppliers. We require absolute honesty from every partner and commitment to Saka's procurement Code of Conduct. As part of the procurement process, we require designated operators to provide, among other things, a copy of our supplier's purchase invoice for margin-taxed vehicles, so that we can verify that they purchased the vehicle at the same tax rate at which we are buying it. We also regularly conduct background checks on our partner companies.

Saka's purchasing organization has clear operating guidelines and the awareness needed to identify risks. For example, if a vehicle is exceptionally inexpensive, it will not be purchased. Regarding purchase targets, we review ownership history to the extent that information is available.

We also conduct self-monitoring throughout the process. Over the years, we have come across vehicles whose history we have been unable to verify according to our own requirements, and as a result, these vehicles have not been purchased.

As the largest operator in the industry, we are naturally subject to regular regulatory oversight. The Finnish Tax Administration conducted an extensive tax audit at Saka between 2022 and 2025, focused specifically on value-added taxation. The audit revealed no remarks or ambiguities related to our procurement.

Saka wants to be a pioneer in reliability and transparency within the industry. We consider the gray economy, which threatens the reputation of the entire industry, to be a serious problem.

We have tightened and will continue to further tighten our risk management practices, particularly regarding foreign suppliers. For example, we will going forward assess the business health and risks of suppliers in an increasingly comprehensive manner.

Although our own monitoring has been tightened over the years, gray economy and criminal activity must be eradicated from the entire European-wide market. Vehicle ownership history and other registration data have not yet been digitalized across Europe. A shared and transparent vehicle registry would significantly reduce the potential for misconduct. Saka therefore warmly welcomes increased industry-wide, regulatory, and Europe-wide oversight as well as digitalization.

Only through shared and transparent tools can we ensure fair competition and protect consumer interests in the best possible way.