A man has been caught issuing 285 motorcycle certificates to people without testing them first, allowing them to obtain a licence.
Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
The 66-year-old motorcycle instructor created false training assessment score sheets and certificates which were later used by 253 individuals to successfully obtain illegitimate motorcycle licences.
The man has pleaded guilty to 24 dishonesty offences related to the assessments.
Police say the man's offending dated back to 2018 and he profited more than $50,000.
"The majority of the man's customers are members of established organised crime groups throughout New Zealand and the bulk of the man's offending has aided gang members in obtaining illegitimate motorcycle licences," detective inspector Mark Chenery said in a statement.
"Each person who has gone on to obtain an illegitimate motorcycle licence has put themselves and other road users at serious risk, compromising their own safety and the safety of others," he said.
"The individual's offending has had a significant impact on Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency) staff and if it wasn't for dedicated police staff who identified the significance of this offending it may have gone undetected."
The man is due to be sentenced in the Westport District Court on 9 March 2022.