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Date Published: 06/05/2024

Costa Blanca driver caught using fake British licence

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The shady motorist was arrested at a police checkpoint in Elche

Costa Blanca driver caught using fake British licence

A 29-year-old man faces prison after handing police officers a fake British driving licence when he was stopped at a routine checkpoint in Elche over the weekend.

Officers immediately noticed something suspicious when they pulled the motorist over on Avenida Alcalde Vicente Quiles, the stretch of Avenida de la Libertad that runs from the Municipal Park to the Renfe station.

A quick check confirmed that the licence was missing several security features usually found on UK documents, which all traffic cops on the Costa Blanca would be very familiar with.

Officials discovered that the license did not react to ultraviolet light, the expiration date was printed in flat ink instead of engraved, and the laser image on the bottom left of the cover did not react at different angles.

At the time, the driver could not give a convincing explanation to the traffic police about the fake document, and he was promptly arrested.

The incident highlights growing concern among foreigners about fake documents. This has prompted increased training of officers to detect these sophisticated fakes, which are often indistinguishable from the real thing.

Elche's proximity to Alicante-Elche's Miguel Hernández International Airport has made local authorities very cautious, especially with travellers from non-Schengen countries like the UK, where freedom within the EU is restricted.

In other news: Two earthquakes rock the Orihuela Costa area of Alicante

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