Thai police foil luxury car fake plate scam in Bangkok

A sophisticated scheme involving the use of counterfeit license plates on luxury vehicles has been thwarted by Thai highway police in a recent crackdown. A 41 year old woman was arrested for affixing a forged red license plate to a brand-new Bentley.

The incident, which took place along Bangkok’s outer ring road, has raised concerns about the ease with which fake registration plates can be procured and used to evade law enforcement and regulatory oversight.

The operation was led by Police Colonel Wanchana Tip-as, commander of the 8th division of the Highway Police, and his team, including Police Lieutenant Colonel Tataporn Lekhawatanapong, of Highway Police Station 2. The suspect, identified only by Meesuk (last name withheld), was caught in the act on Kanchanaphisek Road.

The arresting officers were patrolling the area when they spotted the white Bentley with a suspicious-looking temporary red plate, which displayed the number บ8888 Bangkok, reported KhaoSod.

On closer inspection, the plate was found to lack the watermark and nine-digit Arabic numeral code of the Department of Land Transport. This discovery led to Mee Suk’s immediate arrest. She admitted to purchasing the fake plate for 10,000 baht (US$277) from an acquaintance while awaiting the official white plates.

She claimed ignorance of the plate’s legality, stating that she had previously stored a red plate from another purchase. Despite her confession, the authorities proceeded to hand her over to the Lak Si Police Station for legal action.

In related news, Highway police apprehended a man driving a new Mercedes Benz with a red license plate after they discovered the plate was counterfeit. The driver, identified only as Wanchai, admitted to ordering the attractive number plate online.

The incident occurred today when Police Major General Phakaphon Suchon along with Pol. Lieut. Col. Kla Sombatphibun inspected the area under their jurisdiction. They spotted the suspicious vehicle, a white Mercedes Benz with the red plate number B-9999 Bangkok, along the Ban Phaeo-Phra Prathon route in the Don Yai Hom subdistrict, Nakhon Pathom province.