Police seize 17 right-hand drive cars in Talisay raid

CEBU CITY—Operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas seized on Friday 17 right-hand drive vehicles from a car shop in Talisay City, about 12 kilometers south of this city.

Garry Lapinid, owner of GML shop on Rabaya Street in Talisay, was arrested and would be charged with violation of Republic Act No. 8506, which bans the registration and operation of right-hand drive vehicles.

Lapinid, who is at the CIDG regional office, declined to give a statement.

CIDG agents, led by Chief Insp. Errol Garchitorena, raided Lapinid’s shop on Friday after two weeks of surveillance operation showed that it has several units of right-hand drive vehicles.

The search was conducted on the strength of a warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Wilfredo Navarro.

Seized during the raid were 17 secondhand right-hand drive vehicles, which are believed to be smuggled, said Garchitorena.

He said the confiscated cars had an estimated total value of P3,000,000. If converted, each unit could be sold for P300,000 each. But the vehicles are still in the process of conversion as some still had their steering wheels on the right side.

The vehicles were hidden inside the shop and covered with tarpaulin.

Only 10 vehicles were taken to the CIDG compound in Camp Sotero Cabahug in Cebu City because seven others could not be moved since their steering wheels had been detached.

The raid in Talisay came three days after the National Bureau of Investigation  seized 10 Honda Fit vehicles, which were suspected to be smuggled, from a store that sold secondhand units in Mandaue City, Cebu.