They can’t read, have no understanding of language or traffic signs, but still want to drive.
No problem: these men did the testing for cash!
On Tuesday, the trial about the big driving licence scam started at the Regional Court of Hanover.
The defendants: German-Iraqi Kamal B. (28) from Lehrte and Tahssim K. (26) from Peine.
The duo cashed up to 2,000 euros per person for their service, which was mainly used by Kurdish refugees from Syria and Iraq. For the theoretical exams, they sent similar-looking substitutes who completed the 30 tasks on the monitor.
According to the indictment, the swindlers had collected at least 42 800 euros from customers in 72 cases.
The scam was uncovered in summer 2018 at the Technical Inspection Agency headquarters in the Döhren district of the city. Inspectors suspected cheating and informed the police. A plainclothes officer happened to spot Tahssim K. in the middle of a test scam – he was arrested.
After analysing his mobile phone chats, the police found out about the nationwide fraud network (e.g. in Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg).
In court, the accused (previously convicted of driving without a licence) largely confessed to the offences. Unjustly obtained licences were seized from the customers in the meantime.
The public prosecutor’s office intends to confiscate the amounts from Kamal B. and Tahssim K.. Money is available for this:
In order to get out of custody, both had paid 15,000 euros each as bail.
Verdict on June 1.