CNBC has learned of a sophisticated scheme involving “green lane” trucks, designed to fraudulently evade highway tolls, recently brought to light by Chinese state media, offering a cautionary tale about fraud and the importance of data analytics in modern infrastructure management.
The “green lane” system, intended to facilitate the efficient transport of fresh agricultural products by waiving highway tolls, has become a target for unscrupulous operators. Specifically, the case details how individuals have exploited the system for financial gain.
The fraud came to light on November 8, 2023, when a toll collector with the Shudao Group’s Wenma Highway division questioned a truck bearing license plate number Lu VZ***2, claiming to be carrying only fresh produce and thus eligible for the toll waiver. However, the company’s audit team, employing advanced data analytics, flagged the vehicle as potentially suspicious, triggering a more in-depth investigation.
A second truck, with license plate number Lu VY***7, also submitted for the green lane program, presented similar anomalies when cross-referenced with the company’s data systems, solidifying suspicions of a widespread effort to deceive the system.
Further examination of the data revealed a peculiar pattern: a significant increase in “green lane” usage in the area, with many trucks originating from Shouguang, Shandong Province, and taking circuitous routes, thus implying a deliberate attempt to game the system.
A spokesperson for the Shudao Group’s network operations center noted that these suspect trucks consistently departed from a toll station in Shandong, traveled to the Dujiangyan West toll station on the Wenma Highway in Sichuan province to take advantage of the free toll, and then re-entered the highway at a nearby station to reach the Chengdu Second Ring Expressway, where they would pay to exit. “Preliminary calculations indicate that these vehicles were evading tolls of over 4,500 yuan per trip,” the spokesperson stated.
Subsequently, the Shudao Group dispatched investigators to track the suspect vehicles, and secretly recorded video evidence at unloading sites, revealing the trucks were carrying a mix of non-agricultural cargo, including succulents and construction materials. The evidence was then presented to law enforcement.
Through extensive data analysis, investigators discovered nearly one hundred vehicles were suspected of participating in the scheme, with implicated trucks first loading construction materials at a factory and then loading vegetables at a separate trading ground.
On October 31, 2024, authorities took action, arresting a core group of ten individuals, including the ringleaders, Yan and Li. Another 26 suspects were also taken into custody, and the recovery of illicit gains amounted to over 1.8 million yuan.
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