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The Ghana Police Service has warned that vehicles found using fake Dealer Vehicle (DV) plates will be impounded, even if the owner claims ignorance of the forgery.
The caution comes as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) intensifies a nationwide crackdown on a criminal network believed to have placed more than 30,000 counterfeit DV plates on roads across the country.
Speaking at a DVLA press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, Chief Superintendent Alexander Kweku Obeng said police officers had been deployed on major roads nationwide with the authority to remove and inspect DV plates on vehicles.
He explained that any plate confirmed to be fake would result in the vehicle being treated as unregistered under the law and impounded at the nearest police station while legal proceedings are initiated.
“Nobody can own or drive a vehicle if that vehicle is not assigned with a registration or plate by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority,” Chief Superintendent Obeng said, referring to Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683). “You cannot own it or drive it, let alone having a forged one.”
Chief Superintendent Obeng acknowledged that the exercise could cause delays on some roads but emphasised that the law does not permit officers to ignore such offences. He added that individuals caught with forged plates could face several criminal charges.
The DVLA said investigations conducted over the past two weeks in collaboration with National Security and the police uncovered more than 30,000 counterfeit DV plates already circulating across the country.
Based on the official cost of GH¢417.25 per plate, authorities estimate the street value of the fake plates to exceed GH¢12.51 million, while the illegal trade is believed to be costing the state about GH¢20 million annually in lost revenue.
The Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Services at the DVLA, Foster Akwasi Asante, who presented photographs and videos during the briefing, said the operation was run through a structured distribution network.
According to him, the counterfeit plates were produced at an undisclosed location and transported to a shop at La Paz in Accra, which served as the main distribution centre. From there, consignments were sent to Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale.
Mr Asante said national security officers who raided the La Paz facility retrieved plates bearing distribution records dated February 23, 2026, numbered DV C4353 to DV 4673, suggesting that large quantities were distributed in a single day.
He added that the fake plates were often supplied together with forged documents to give the appearance that vehicles were properly registered.
These included counterfeit motor insurance certificates, roadworthy certificates, and fake Form D and Form E vehicle logbook documents, which investigators said were produced at the same location.
Authorities also discovered that some of the insurance certificates recovered during the operation did not bear the signature of any licensed insurance broker.
Earlier at the briefing, the Chief Executive of the DVLA, Julius Neequaye Kotey, warned that the use of such forged documents could leave accident victims without protection.
“In the event of an accident, victims may find that the supposed insurance cover is fraudulent, leaving them without protection or compensation,” Mr Kotey said.
Mr Asante also outlined some distinguishing features between genuine and counterfeit DV plates.
He explained that authentic DV plates produced by the DVLA are made from a material known as Alucore, which has a non-reflective surface. In addition, the Ghana flag on genuine plates is embedded during production rather than attached as a sticker.
Fake plates, he said, typically carry the Ghana flag as a surface sticker and often have a shiny reflective background.
“The ones with a shining background are fake plates,” Mr Asante said.
He added that genuine plates contain other security features, but the authority would not disclose those details for operational reasons.
So far, five suspects have been arrested during operations in La Paz, Kumasi and Takoradi.
Among those arrested is a man who told investigators he worked as an okada rider and served as a distributor, transporting packaged plates from La Paz to Kaneshie for onward delivery to other regions.
A woman identified as Vivian, believed to be the Tamale contact in the distribution chain, was also arrested, with officers recovering a quantity of fake plates and forged documents from her.
All five suspects are currently on remand and are expected to reappear in court on March 17, 2026.
Mr Asante said two other suspects believed to be key figures in the network remain at large.
He indicated that the DVLA and National Security would soon apply to the courts to have them declared wanted persons. Their photographs would then be published in the national media, while the DVLA plans to announce a financial reward for information leading to their arrest.
The DVLA has advised persons authorised to use DV plates under the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2180) — including motor traders, vehicle importers, mechanics, fleet owners and licensed plate dealers — to obtain them only from DVLA offices at the approved cost of GH¢417.25.
Members of the public who suspect a vehicle is displaying a fake DV plate have also been urged to report the matter to the nearest DVLA office or police station.
