Multi-cultural gang

Counterfeit license plate mafia on the run

Drivers need a "sticker" every year - and there is good money to be made with it

(Bild: ZVG)

It's a thoroughly convoluted affair, but basically quite simple: a colourful multi-cultural gang with an Iraqi as the mastermind in Linz has specialized in forging car stickers and the necessary certificates. And put more than 4000 of them into circulation. A reversed speedometer blew the gang's cover.

In June, a car buyer from Traberg reported to the Bad Leonfelden police station that he had been the victim of fraud, as the recorded mileage on the vehicle he had previously purchased had been reduced. Due to the incorrect mileage, he had paid too much for the vehicle. Among other things, the victim submitted the last appraisal as evidence. On closer inspection, it turned out that the report had been drawn up incorrectly.

Several companies were involved
So the employee who had drawn up the report was questioned as a defendant for abuse of authority. This brought to light a network of three companies in the vehicle industry and four employees who had specialized in falsifying vehicle registration sticker reports. A 48-year-old Iraqi from Linz was targeted in the investigation as the managing director of these companies under commercial law. The suspects worked not only in the vehicle industry, but for up to five companies at the same time.

"It doesn't work out in terms of time"
These companies within the 48-year-old managing director's sphere of influence also diligently prepared expert reports, with or without the consent of the workers, even though the authorized persons were not in the company. It also happened that an expert prepared reports for two different companies almost simultaneously. In the period between mid-2021 and August 2024, a total of 4016 of these assessment stickers were created in this way by four workers in three companies, even though the authorized persons were not in the company.

A motley crew from all over the world
The three tradesmen, the 48-year-old Iraqi from Linz, a 31-year-old Afghan from the Linz-Land district and a 37-year-old Iraqi from Linz and the four workers, a 40-year-old Croat from the Linz-Land district, a 37-year-old Georgian, a 33-year-old Croat and a 47-year-old, all three from the Freistadt district, were reported to the Linz public prosecutor's office for abuse of official authority and incitement to abuse official authority.