Alaska officials are investigating how personalized neo-Nazi license plates were issued, Newsweek reportd.
A license plate reading "3REICH" and another containing the word "FUHRER" were seen in Alaska in October 2020.
Last week, Department of Administration Commissioner Kelly Tshibaka ordered a review into the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to uncover how the plates were issued. Tshibaka oversees DMV.
She said the department has received several complaints from Alaskans regarding the plates, stating that, "The plates in question had previously been recalled by the DMV, and the DMV issued replacement standard plates to be displayed."
"We are notifying law enforcement that these plates are unauthorized by the DMV," she added, noting that the investigation will, among other things, ensure that the state's personalized license plate program "continues to protect the public's interest — both in terms of preventing inappropriate messages, and also the state's obligation to protect Alaskans' constitutional rights to free speech."
DMV spokeswoman Kelly Hanke told The Associated Press that she believed the "FUHRER" plate was recalled in December and that the "3REICH" plate was recalled in early January. Once the plates were replaced, she said, they became illegal for use.