Madagascar - Police are looking into the possibility of an illegal number plate manufacturing business after drug dealers were arrested in a car with fake police number plates.
Police officer Mahen Singh confirmed the number in question was registered to an undercover police car and the vehicle still had the number plates. Police have been using unmarked cars on to arrest suspected drug dealers on the island.
"This means that the number plates weren't stolen from the police car but were made to order by some unscrupulous business" said Singh.
"We are looking for people who have the manufacturing tools to make number plates."
Five were arrested after the discovery of the fake plates were being questioned by police.
"They were transporting drugs to sellers using the number plates which would have allowed them to travel about unhindered.
"We confiscated 2.2 kg of cocaine along with $2000" Singh said.
The Vehicle Licensing Authority (VLA) said it is receiving increasing numbers of reports of stolen number plates.
VLA spokeswoman Veronica Eavers said "Only the VLA issues number plates. A lot of people have informed us that their plates have been stolen."