The NYPD and city sanitation department have joined forces to crack down on cars with fake or obscured license plates on New York City streets. Since September, they have seized approximately 5,000 of these “ghost cars.” This initiative builds on a previous effort by the MTA to impound vehicles using fraudulent plates to avoid toll readers.
The increased enforcement comes ahead of the MTA’s upcoming congestion pricing launch, which will charge drivers a fee to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street. Concerns have been raised that some drivers would use illegal plates to evade the charge, as well as to avoid automated speed and red light camera tickets.
A report by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine estimated that ghost plates cost the city up to $200 million annually. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that “The days of operating these illegal ghost cars are over,” noting that identical fake plates have been found on different cars at crime scenes.
Of the 7,500 ghost cars seized this year, 5,000 were impounded in the last three months alone. Car owners with illegal plates will face fines, possible arrest, and seizure of their vehicles. The collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies aims to put an end to illegal ghost cars on New York City streets.
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Photo credit gothamist.com