Raid on fake license plate shop in the middle of the city, arrest 2 teenagers who produced them

Bangkok, Cyber ??police raid a fake license plate production shop in the middle of the capital, arresting two teenagers who were producing them, and finding that they were selling them online across Thailand, earning over 600,000 baht. Following the investigation by the Cyber ??Police, by the News Analysis and Special Equipment Division, Technology Crime Suppression Division 3, into the illegal sale of fake vehicle license plates via an online platform, they investigated and tried ordering a license plate from the said online store, 1 plate, for 498 baht, by paying via the online sales platform's payment system. Upon inspection of the product received, it was found that the vehicle license plate was similar to the one produced by the Department of Land Transport for official use, but without the watermark and the Department of Land Transport symbol. Therefore, they reported this to their superiors. Pol. Lt. Gen. Worawat Watnakornbancha, Commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), ordered Pol. Maj. Gen. Statit Prom-Uthai, Commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division 3, to send police officers to the area to investigate the case in order to bring the perpetrators involved to justice, as fake license plates are a tool that criminals can use to commit crimes. Later, Pol. Lt. Col. Adhichat Amornpradit, Director of the News Analysis and Special Equipment Division, Technology Crime Suppression Division 3, along with the investigation team, continued to investigate and collect information, and discovered that the license plates were sent by an online shopping account user named i_nus on an online shopping platform, and officers are still investigating until they know the source of production. Initially, information was found on the history of selling license plates to customers through the said channel, totaling 1,131 items, with products delivered to customers nationwide, totaling over 600,000 baht in revenue. In addition, information was found linking to a Facebook fan page named 'Welove carplate, accepting orders for all types of license plates' and the website 'Weloveplate,' which stated on the website that 'We accept orders for all types of license plates, whether they be car plates, motorcycle plates, red plates, or all types of license plates.' The police officers therefore collected evidence and successfully requested a search warrant from the court for the target areas related to the said operation. Later, police officers led by Pol. Lt. Col. Chanthat Wutthiphatsophon, Deputy Superintendent of News Analysis, Technology Crime Suppression Division 3, the team leader, along with Pol. Lt. Col. Wirasak Kaewniam, Deputy Superintendent, Pol. Lt. Col. Leosak Pichetphaiboon, Pol. Lt. Col. Thawat Thuekruea, and Pol. Lt. Col. Winai Chomphut, Senior Investigator, along with the investigation team of the News Analysis Division, Technology Crime Suppression Division 3, brought a search warrant from the Thonburi Criminal Court to search a shop located on Taksin Road, Bukkhalo Subdistrict, Thonburi D istrict, Bangkok. They found Mr. Anantada, aged 24, and Mr. Siriwat, aged 27, inside the shop. The search found equipment for producing fake license plates, such as a plate punching machine, a cutting machine, aluminum sheets used in making license plates, various types of number and letter molds, oil paint, and a large number of finished license plates ready for delivery to customers, as well as other evidence inside the shop. From the inquiry, both of them admitted that they were employees in the said shop. Their duty was to jointly make the license plates. They received the order information for the license plates via the Line application from the boss who was their employer. They are currently expanding the investigation to arrest them after receiving the information from the employer. Mr. Anantada will take the aluminum plates that have been pasted with reflective stickers to stamp the numbers and letters in relief using a stamping machine according to the mold. Then, the edges of the license plates wil l be trimmed neatly before being sent to Mr. Siriwat to paint the numbers and letters according to the type of vehicle the customer wants. When the license plates are finished, they will be packed in bubble wrap to be ready to be delivered to the customer the next day. Both of them can produce up to 40-50 license plates per day and will be sold at a price of approximately 400-450 baht per plate. The police therefore pressed charges of 'jointly forging official documents' and 'jointly, fraudulently or deceitfully, entering distorted or forged computer data, whether in whole or in part, or false computer data, into a computer system in a manner likely to cause damage to the public, which is not an act of defamation.' They also seized all evidence and sent the suspects to investigators for further legal proceedings. The police are currently investigating and expanding the investigation to the masterminds of this gang to bring them to justice according to the law so that the prevention and suppression of this gang can be swift and decisive. We would also like to inform the public that if they want to take any action regarding their license plates, they should contact the Department of Land Transport only. Otherwise, they may fall victim or be accused of a gang that forges license plates. Source: Thai News Agency