Game Over for Ghost Cars: DVLA’s High-Tech Scanner Exposes 130 Clones

Ghana’s vehicle registration regime is entering a new phase of digital enforcement after the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) disclosed that its newly deployed vehicle inspection technology has uncovered more than 130 vehicles suspected of being cloned or fraudulently registered within just a month of operation.

The development marks one of the first major outcomes of the DVLA’s broader digital transformation programme, which is designed to modernise vehicle registration, strengthen regulatory oversight and curb revenue leakages linked to customs duty evasion.

According to DVLA Chief Executive Officer Julius Neequaye Kotey, the authority’s new cloning detection machines enable inspectors to authenticate vehicle chassis numbers directly against manufacturer records while also retrieving each vehicle’s history, including previous accident records and ownership data.

The technology has also exposed a sophisticated fraud scheme in which individuals allegedly use forged or duplicated customs documentation to register vehicles that have not paid the required import duties. Under the scheme, fraudsters reportedly obtain copies of legitimate customs documents, duplicate the associated chassis numbers and complete registration before the rightful vehicle owner arrives at the DVLA.

The authority says the newly deployed system has already intercepted over 130 suspected cloned vehicles, all of which have been referred to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority for further investigation and enforcement action.

While Customs has temporarily allowed affected vehicle owners to regularise outstanding duty obligations, the DVLA has signalled that this transitional arrangement will soon come to an end as the digital verification platform becomes fully operational.

Going forward, the authority intends to adopt a stricter enforcement posture, warning that anyone found attempting to register cloned vehicles or evade customs duties will face criminal prosecution rather than administrative leniency.

The initiative forms part of a wider government effort to digitise public services, improve regulatory transparency, protect government revenue and restore confidence in Ghana’s vehicle registration system. Officials believe the technology will significantly reduce document fraud while strengthening coordination between the DVLA and Customs in monitoring imported vehicles.