HGV seized in Ballymena after company director caught driving with revoked licence and cloned plates

Thursday 15 October 2026

A heavy goods vehicle has been seized by police in the Ballymena area after officers discovered it was displaying cloned registration plates and being driven by a company director whose HGV licence had been revoked on medical grounds.

The roadside stop also uncovered a series of other issues, including no vehicle insurance, no valid operator’s licence and a goods vehicle certificate that had expired nearly three years earlier.

Cloned registration plates uncovered

The DAF lorry was stopped on Wednesday (14 October) by Police Service of Northern Ireland Road Policing Interceptors based at Sprucefield.

Officers discovered that the vehicle was displaying the registration number of another HGV of a similar make and model, concealing its true identity.

In an unusual twist, police revealed that both the vehicle displaying the cloned plates and the genuine vehicle belonged to the same company.

The driver was identified as the company director, whose HGV driving licence had previously been revoked by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) on medical grounds.

Multiple compliance failures identified

Further police checks revealed a number of additional issues:

• No current Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).

• No vehicle insurance.

• A goods vehicle certificate that had expired nearly three years ago.

• No operator’s licence in force.

• No tachograph in use.

A tachograph records driving time, speed and other information used to monitor compliance with drivers’ hours and rest requirements.

An operator’s licence is generally required by businesses using heavy goods vehicles to transport goods, while Driver CPC is a professional qualification required for most commercial HGV drivers.

Vehicle seized by police

Following the roadside checks, officers seized the lorry.

Highlighting the attempt to conceal the vehicle’s identity, the PSNI warned:

“A different number plate doesn’t make the problems disappear.”

Police have not disclosed whether any prosecution or further enforcement action will follow the seizure.