Muscat: Police in Oman say they are clamping down on motorists who conceal their plate numbers to avoid traffic fines.
Tampering with plates is considered a felony under Oman law.
Article 199 of the penal code likens the crime to that of theft, sabatoge and smuggling.
If caught, the car will be immediately impounded, motorists will be jailed for 48 hours and then referred to public prosecution to face a trial.
Police say they are currently dealing with at least 235 cases of licence plate tampering.
While most of the cases involved motorists trying to avoid fines, some also showed up stolen cars and offenders with previous criminal records.
Abdullah Al Farsi, director of traffic operations at the Royal Oman Police (ROP), says motorists are creative when coming up with ways to conceal the plate number.
“Some apply an oily substance to the plate, others dent or break off part of the plate,” he said.
Motorists who conceal their plate numbers are often guilty of speeding and jumping red traffic lights which endangers lives of others.
The number of road accidents in 2015 stood at 6,276, compared with 6,717 in 2014. It resulted in the deaths of 675 people compared to 816 in 2014, according to ROP figures.
July was the deadliest month in 2015, with 71 people dead and 406 injured in 626 road accidents. Speeding was the main cause for accidents in 2015, with 3,411 road accidents.
