[Yo-Yo]

Good question. Maybe it was taken to another state at some point, false bill of sales created and a claim of a lost title made. If it was kept out of California's system, it would not have been caught, until California checked the VIN when it was on its way out of the country.

National Crime Information Center

From the article, it wasn't the state of California or CHP that caught this vehicle, it was U.S. Customs.

NCIC information that Customs most likely used is also available to all state DMVs.

[Defiant]

Thanks for pointing that out. It could well be that California DMV is just that incompetent.