Police shut down licensing offices Stolen car racket Yolandra John South Bureau Tuesday, January 6th 2009

Police officers investigating a stolen car racket locked down several licensing offices in Port of Spain, San Fernando and Tobago yesterday.

Workers were sent home for the day and scores of people who went to carry out transactions at the offices were turned away.

At the licensing office off the By-Pass, San Fernando, officers from the Anti-Corruption Unit and the Fraud Squad walked with search warrants to examine documents and records for evidence of fraud.

The search began around 2 a.m, when officers went into the office in search of the documents. Watchmen and other security personnel were not allowed to leave the compound. Several documents were said to have been seized.

"We are looking into the matter of stolen cars being able to pass through and be registered in the licensing offices and the fact that they are also able to receive new licence plate numbers with the help of an external agent," one officer said.

Around 8 a.m., when workers started coming in for duty, they were confronted by officers and only allowed onto the compound and not into the offices. At about 9.20 a.m., all the workers were seen leaving the compound.

A worker, who did not want his name disclosed, said: "We were told not to talk to the media. However, all we were told was the Fraud Squad is investigating a matter and all the workers had to be questioned. We were also told that the offices in Port of Spain and Tobago were also going through the same procedure."

A licensing officer, who also requested anonymity, said: "We were told that there is an external agent who visits the licensing office frequently and had knowledge about how the registration of vehicles are handled."

He also said officers were looking at vehicles that were brought in as roll on roll off vehicles "with purported legitimate import documents, which include having a motor vehicle inspectors' signature".

For people going to renew driving permits or to carry out other business, it was a trying time.

My Comments

Its about friggin time that these places are targeted and investigated and the culprits brought to justice.

I just hope that something does come out of these raids