The Transport Police (POLTRANS) has confiscated 21 state-owned cars and 12 state-owned motorbikes as the vehicles were being used by government employees for private purposes.
POLTRANS commander Chief Inspector Antonio L.C. Soares said 19 of the 33 vehicles confiscated did not have complete documents.
“(The government employee) used the cars and motorbikes to go to the shops or take their families on outings,” he said in Kaikoli, Dili.
Chief Inspector Soares said POLTRANS conducted operations twice a week in different locations.
“Sometimes in Tasi Tolu or Becora and sometimes in different areas,” he said.
Commission B (for defense, security and foreign affairs) deputy president David Diaz Ximenes said he supported the initiative to crack down on abuse of government entitlements.
Community member Manuel Fernandes said he supported POLTRANS in confiscating the vehicles as he had witnessed government employees use state cars to take their families to the beach.
“The law doesn’t permit them to use the state cars for their private interests,” he said.
