The North Jakarta Police have arrested six people who were allegedly involved in making and distributing fake license plates that were used to circumvent the odd-even traffic policy in Jakarta, which is currently undergoing an expansion trial.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said on Tuesday that the first arrest was made on Aug. 16 in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, where the police nabbed a suspect identified only as CL.

CL, 21, was suspected of selling fake vehicle registration certificates (STNKs) and license plates online.

From the interrogation, it was found that CL had sold 10 plates marked RFD or RFP, which are the official codes for vehicles belonging to the police and military personnel.

“In each transaction, CL sold one package of STNKs and TNKBs [license plates] for Rp 20 million (US$1,401) to Rp 25 million and made a profit of Rp 2.5 million or Rp 8 million,” Argo said as quoted by kompas.com.

The next day, the police arrested another suspect – identified as TSW, 16 – from whom CL had reportedly ordered the fake plates, also in Kelapa Gading.

TSW subsequently told the police that he had sold 10 fake license plates and confessed that he had obtained the packages for them from another person identified only as Y.

The police later interrogated 47-year-old Y, who confessed to ordering fake STNKs from someone identified as AMY, while ordering license plates from another person identified as DP.

“It turned out that AMY, 35, was the maker of fake STNKs that were printed using a holographic printer to create the letters of ‘Korlantas’ [National Police Traffic Corps],” Argo said.

Meanwhile, Argo said, 38-year-old DP was working as a seller of regular vehicle plates for a living on a roadside in Sunter, North Jakarta.

In addition, the police also arrested another suspect who allegedly acted as the delivery person.

All the suspects face charges under Article 263 of the Criminal Code and a possible six years' imprisonment. (syk)