LTO, NBI confiscate over 65 right-hand drive vehicles in Cebu

MANILA: The Land Transportation Office (LTO), together with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), confiscated over 65 right-hand drive vehicles in Talisay City, Cebu.

Joining LTO Assistant Secretary Attorney Vigor Mendoza II and agents from the NBI in the multi-agency raid was Special Envoy on Transnational Crime Ambassador Markus Lacanilao. Assisting them was LTO Region 7 Director Glen Galario.

A female Peruvian national figured in the takedown. She is believed to be the operator of the auto shop in Talisay, which was the target of the operation.

Per LTO, the agency has been conducting aggressive operations against the importation of right-hand drive vehicles and their assembly and sale in the country after the discovery of a store in Quezon City last month.

Following the raid in Quezon City, three more auto shops based in Davao were busted, which yielded over 40 right-hand drive vehicles.

“These stores appear to be all connected. That is why Ambassador Lacanilao was here with us as part of the thorough investigation into this illegal activity, because there were reports that this is at least run by one foreigner,” Mendoza said.

The LTO noted that based on the initial investigation, the right-hand drive vehicles were imported and later assembled in the country before they were sold.

Mendoza earlier ordered an investigation of an LTO office in Mindanao, which was believed to have facilitated the registration of the illegally assembled vehicles.

“Lahat ng mga ito ay pananagutin natin base na din sa utos ng ating DOTr (Department of Transportation) Secretary. Sa ngayon, malaliman ang imbestigasyon natin para matukoy ang lahat ng taong nasa likod nito (we will hold all of them accountable based on the orders of our DOTr Secretary. Right now, we are conducting a thorough investigation to identify all the people behind this),” Mendoza added.

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