Claudia Franchesca de los Santos, the Under-Minister for Transportation and Communication at the Public Works Ministry, reported that 16,000 plastic drivers’ licenses and the machine used to print them were stolen between 18 May and 15 August. As a result, the DGTT (Transportation Department) has provided a 30-day period for those people whose licenses are numbered between 955001 and 960000, 980001 and 982500, 986501 and 988500, 989501 and 990000, and those 990001 to 99500 to turn them in or face serious judicial consequences. For some time, according to the Listin Diario, the word on the street was that a license was obtainable for those willing to “do anything” to get one. The cost was known to be RD$3,000. In a follow-up story, three transportation syndicate presidents told Listin Diario reporter Adriana Peguero that there was a close collaboration between officials at the Traffic Office and the driving schools, and that the latter were the purveyors of the false learner’s permits and licenses.