Photo courtesy of Land Transportation Office
Authorities arrested six people and seized dozens of suspected fake vehicle plates after raiding five establishments in Davao City allegedly involved in producing unauthorized plate replicas.
The joint operation was carried out on Sept. 3 along Quezon Boulevard by the Land Transportation Office and police units, including the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
The LTO said 64 suspected counterfeit plates were recovered from the establishments, along with computers, machine tools and materials allegedly used in making them.
Among the items seized were steel plates, cutters, sticker-cutting equipment, plain sheets and other tools that investigators said could be used to shape and reproduce vehicle plates.
The establishments searched were Pogz Art and Sign, Eschat Art and Sign Tailoring, Sticker Art and Sign, WMT Printing Services and Magnorms Advertising Services.
LTO chief Markus Lacanilao said enforcement efforts would not be limited to motorists caught using fake plates, but would also target those allegedly manufacturing and selling them.
“Hindi lamang namin hinuhuli ang gumagamit ng pekeng plaka. Hinahanap namin kung saan ito ginagawa at kung sino ang kumikita sa ilegal na negosyong ito,” Lacanilao said.
The six arrested individuals were taken to a Davao City police station for documentation and further processing, while the seized items were placed under inventory and custody.
Authorities said complaints were being prepared for alleged falsification-related offenses under the Revised Penal Code and for possible violations of the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, as amended.