Police investigate stolen car scheme and cloned license plates in RJ

The Civil Police carried out, this Thursday (2), an operation in São Gonçalo, in the Metropolitan Region of Rio, to investigate a scheme for receiving stolen vehicles and selling cloned license plates. The action is carried out by agents from the DRFA (Capital Auto Theft and Robbery Police Station), who carry out search and seizure warrants at different addresses in the municipality.

According to investigations, the main target of the operation was arrested red-handed in the Miriambi neighborhood. At his residence, the police found a stolen motorcycle that was being driven with the license plate of another vehicle.

The investigations began after intelligence work identified a profile on a social network used to advertise rebranded license plates, known as "clones" or "goats". The profile also displayed images of suspicious vehicles, weapons and possible links with members of the CV (Comando Vermelho).

According to the Civil Police, the elements gathered during the investigation indicate that the suspect was in contact with groups involved in vehicle thefts in the regions of Jardim Catarina, Jardim Miriambi and Salgueiro, in São Gonçalo. Investigators also investigate the use of an establishment in the automotive sector to mediate negotiations for adulterated license plates and vehicles suspected of illicit origin.

The investigations also made it possible to identify residential and commercial addresses, as well as telephone lines and electronic accounts linked to the person being investigated.

The operation is ongoing and seeks to identify other possible parties involved, in addition to deepening investigations into the chain of receipt and sale of tampered vehicles and license plates.

Source: CNN