The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Saturday announced the arrest of a Chinese national suspected of being part of a syndicate involved in smuggling luxury cars into the country.
Authorities are investigating the scope of the operation and working to identify possible accomplices. LTO chief Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said the suspect, known by the alias “Cheng Cao,” was arrested after former Filipino employees reported to Senator Erwin Tulfo that he had been bringing high-end vehicles—such as Rolls-Royce and Ferrari units—into the Philippines.
LTO personnel and Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) operatives flagged the suspect in Makati City while he was driving a Mercedes-Benz S500. They found an unlicensed firearm in his possession, and the vehicle’s blue paint did not match the color listed in its registration papers.
The suspect was also reportedly using a fake driver’s license, which Lacanilao said may have been intended to conceal his real identity. He described the operation as an organized group that duplicates license plates on luxury and sports vehicles to avoid detection.
Initial reports showed the suspect owns ACH High-End Motor Center in Makati, which was raided by the Bureau of Customs in February. The LTO has coordinated with the Bureau of Immigration to verify his identity. Lacanilao said many of the suspect’s clients were previously linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activities.
The suspect is detained at Camp Crame under the custody of the PNP-HPG, while the Mercedes-Benz has been impounded. Authorities are pursuing other alleged members of the syndicate, who are believed to be foreign nationals.
