Ghana DVLA Seizes 85 Cloned Vehicles, Cracks Down on Illegal Imports

Ghana's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has successfully intercepted 85 illegally imported vehicles through its new clone detection system, introduced in May. The system targets vehicle cloning, a fraudulent practice where the unique chassis number of a legitimate vehicle is illicitly used to register another car that has bypassed standard import procedures. Most of these cloned vehicles have been traced back to Togo.

Mr. Julius Neequaye Kotey, CEO of the DVLA, disclosed that the impounded vehicles, including sedans and SUVs, have been transferred to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority. Owners must now pay the requisite import duties before these vehicles can be legally registered in Ghana. This initiative aims to curb revenue loss and ensure compliance with import regulations.

In addition to tackling vehicle cloning, the DVLA is addressing the misuse of "DV" number plates. These plates are designated solely for temporary use, such as moving unregistered vehicles, conducting test drives, or transporting cars for repairs. However, they are increasingly being employed for routine driving, contravening road traffic regulations.

The DVLA is also reminding vehicle owners whose cars were registered before 2023 to complete the onboarding process for new chip-embedded number plates. This includes essential steps like vehicle inspection, document verification, Ghana Card authentication, and the issuance of a certificate of title and registration card. This modernization effort seeks to enhance vehicle identification and registration security.

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For about a month now, when we began checking the clone aspect of vehicles through a device before registration, we have been able to impound about 80 vehicles. They are handed over to Customs, where owners pay the required duties before returning for registration.