On July 3, the Aomori Prefectural Police announced that they had arrested an illegal passer-by who illegally escaped the toll that was originally to be paid, on charges of fraudulent computer use.

In this case, the suspect abused the ETC system and was illegally exempted from paying the toll that was originally payable between the inflowing interchange and the outflowing interchange.

NEXCO EAST Tohoku Regional Head Office (Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture), we have been working with a strong stance of “tolerating unauthorized traffic” so as not to damage customers' trust in the toll road business. We believe that the recent arrest of a person who commits malicious tolls will help ensure fairness in toll charges and prevent unauthorized tolls.

We will continue to take a resolute attitude toward illegal traffic and will actively cooperate with police investigations to tackle illegal traffic.

The suspect will be checked for toll charges and will be charged a surcharge (twice the illegal toll charge) in addition to the illegal toll charge.