Thousands of Vehicles Confiscated in NY Due to a Tactic You’ve Likely Seen Without Realizing | Carscoops

      Altered and fake license plates are facing increased scrutiny in NYC as police utilize drones, trailers, and collaborative operations.

      15 hours ago

      

      by Stephen Rivers

      

      

      A total of 5,343 vehicles have been towed in 100 joint operations targeting ghost cars since 2024.

      In 2025 alone, nearly $12 million in unpaid tolls and fees has been recovered.

      Drones and license plate reader trailers now support enforcement measures.

      New York's initiative against ‘Ghost Cars’ has reached a significant milestone. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), in collaboration with a number of regional law enforcement agencies, has recently completed its 100th operation aimed at those trying to evade tolls, resulting in thousands of cars being towed.

      ‘Ghost cars’ refer to vehicles that display fake, altered, or obscured license plates. This issue has been covered multiple times before. The MTA's ghost car initiative began in 2024, with claims of over 5,300 cars towed since then. In the current year alone, 1,893 vehicles associated with nearly $11.5 million in unpaid tolls and fees have been towed. The MTA Police have issued around 16,000 summonses.

      Officials report that these enforcement actions are yielding positive results, with toll revenue losses attributable to ghost plates decreasing by 20 percent. So far in 2025, 48 ghost plates have been confiscated, totaling 126 since the initiative's launch. Authorities highlight that this issue extends beyond unpaid tolls; vehicles with ghost plates are frequently unregistered, uninsured, stolen, or involved in criminal activities.

      “We will not accept individuals using masked and fraudulent license plates to evade detection while engaging in criminal behavior,” stated MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “Public safety is paramount, and those who conceal their plates will be apprehended and face consequences beyond just the tolls they avoided.”

      The department is expanding its strategy beyond traditional traffic enforcement methods.

      They are now utilizing drones to capture license plates as vehicles pass through designated checkpoints. If a drone detects a plate that has been suspended by the DMV, it alerts an officer for a possible stop. “The collaboration between B&T officers and our regional law enforcement partners has enhanced accountability on our roads,” explained MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Catherine Sheridan.

      “Our ongoing enforcement initiatives are effectively reducing the use of covered, obstructed, and altered license plates, and I commend our B&T and MTAPD officers, along with our partners, for their commitment to this crucial mission,” she added. The MTA is also implementing automatic plate readers capable of sending alerts. Clearly, authorities are making concerted efforts to address the issue of toll evasion through ghost plates.

      Photo credits MTA