Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Please attribute to Detective Inspector Mark Chenery:
Police acknowledge the guilty plea of a key individual involved in the issue of fraudulent motorcycle qualifications.
The 66-year-old man plead guilty yesterday to 24 dishonesty offences for creating false training assessment score sheets and certificates which were later used by individuals to successfully obtain illegitimate motorcycle licences.
Police became aware of the man’s activity earlier this year and began the investigation, Operation Ketch, into his involvement in issuing fraudulent score sheets and certificates, with the offending dating back to 2018.
The man used his position as an approved motorcycle instructor to issue individuals with their qualification without them sitting a test.
Through this, the man profited more than $50,000 and issued 285 illegitimate qualifications, of which 253 were successfully used to obtain a class of motorcycle licence.
The majority of the man’s customers are members of established organised crime groups throughout New Zealand and the bulk of the man’s offending has aided gang members in obtaining illegitimate motorcycle licences.
Each person who has gone on to obtain an illegitimate motorcycle licence has put themselves and other road users at serious risk, compromising their own safety and the safety of others.
The individual’s offending has had a significant impact on Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency) staff and if it wasn’t for dedicated Police staff who identified the significance of this offending it may have gone undetected.
As Operation Ketch is an ongoing investigation, Police don’t have any further comment to make while our enquiries are continuing.
The man is due to be sentenced in the Westport District Court on March 9th 2022.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
