Drivers face ghost plate crackdown at Outerbridge Crossing on Staten Island. Here's what happened. - CBS New York

By Renee Anderson

October 15, 2024 / 1:35 PM EDT / CBS New York

NEW YORK -- The Outerbridge Crossing saw a show of force Tuesday morning on Staten Island.

Chopper 2 flew overhead as dozens of law enforcement officers from different agencies convened to crack down on ghost plates.

"These people are evading tolls, are beating the system, and beating the system means beating you and me, the taxpayers. So it is our responsibility to assure that the fair share is collected," said Charles Chavez, senior vice president and chief of department for Port Authority Bridge and Tunnels.

The interagency task force consists of members from the Port Authority Police Department, New York State Police Department, New York Police Department, New York City Sheriff's Office and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

It was launched last May to target hidden or unreadable license plates, unpaid tolls and unregistered drivers or vehicles heading in or out of New York.

Since the operation started, there have been 550 arrest, 2,600 vehicles seized and more than $23 million collected in unpaid tolls and fees.

Task force leaders say many agencies from across the country have been reaching out for guidance on the issue.

CBS News New York has been reporting on the crackdown for months, including the push for more enforcement in wake of the pause on congestion pricing.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has also enlisted the Department of Sanitation to help tow away cars with altered plates. Officials told CBS News New York that task force removed 295 cars from streets in the Bronx and Brooklyn in the first five nights.

"These cars are a pain in the ass," the mayor said last month.

Renee Anderson is a digital producer at CBS New York, where she covers breaking news and other local stories. Before joining the team in 2016, Renee worked at WMUR-TV.

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