QC couple caught selling fake LTO license plates

The Quezon City Police District on Wednesday arrested a couple who were caught selling counterfeit license plates and documents supposedly issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Jahaziel Alcantara, 32, and Kristine Nemenzo, 22, were allegedly selling the fake plates for P2,000 each.

Chief Insp. Freud Vila of the District Special Operations Unit (DSOU) said the LTO earlier alerted them to the couple’s illegal activity, prompting them to conduct a test buy on June 22.

An undercover agent was able to buy a license plate — WEH 915 –which Vila said could be mistaken for genuine plates if seen from afar but, upon closer scrutiny, lacks tiny “LTO” markings that are incorporated in the characters.

Members of the DSOU and the QCPD’s Anti-Carnapping Unit obtained a search warrant on July 3 from Judge Fernando Sagun Jr. of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 78.

Alcantara and Nemenzo were arrested during a raid Wednesday morning on their house on Dove Street, Sitio Veterans, Barangay Bagong Silangan.

The police recovered a Volkswagen car with license plate NFR 262, a Honda Wave motorcycle without a plate, 25 pieces of metal sheets, three motorcycle plates, 26 motor vehicle plates, a manual pressing machine, and several transaction receipts.

Also found was a logbook apparently of the couple’s business transactions this year.  They reportedly ran a printing business which they used as a front for the illegal manufacture of the plates.

Barangay officials said their printing business was not registered. –Nikka G. Valenzuela