DVLA seizes over 130 cloned, duty-evading vehicles after deploying scanner tech

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in Ghana has confiscated over 130 vehicles suspected to be cloned or imported through channels designed to evade import duties, following the deployment of advanced vehicle clone-detection systems. Julius Neequaye Kotey, the DVLA Chief Executive Officer, announced the seizure in a Facebook statement, revealing that the authority had equipped its vehicle verification and registration processes with new OBD II scanners.

These scanners actively identify vehicles brought into the country through unauthorized channels that unlawfully replicate the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) of legitimate vehicles awaiting registration. Kotey emphasized that the technology also prevents a common issue where legal vehicle owners are incorrectly flagged as already registered, a problem caused by fraudulent duplication of their vehicle identification numbers.

He described the deployment as a proactive security measure that significantly enhances the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of the national vehicle register. Since introducing the clone-detection systems, the DVLA reported successfully intercepting and seizing more than 130 suspected cloned or duty-evading vehicles. Additionally, the authority has established a temporary, flexible arrangement with the Customs Division to assist affected vehicle owners in regularizing and clearing their outstanding import duty payments.