More than 3,000 tickets issued in ghost plate crackdown in New York
NEW YORK (PIX11) - New York State's first-ever ghost plate crackdown is already showing strong results, according to Governor Kathy Hochul.
The multi-agency initiative called "Operation Plate Check" has resulted in more than 3,300 tickets issued to drivers with forged or altered license plates and fake “temp tags,” Hochul announced on Friday.
“The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority, and this enforcement campaign reinforces ongoing efforts to crack down on individuals who are using fake and defaced plates to avoid paying tolls or detection by law enforcement,” said the governor.
The operation ran from April 26 through May 3 and involved multiple state and local agencies like the New York State Police, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and various law enforcement.
During the crackdown 83 of the tickets issued were for suspended registrations while 14 stolen vehicles were recovered, officials say.
The state and city launched a multi-agency task force in 2024 to remove ghost cars from New York City. Since March 2024 the crackdown has resulted in 1,055 arrests, more than 46,000 summonses and 4,525 interdicted vehicles for suspended registrations and fraudulent, obstructed or altered license plates.
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.