Brooklyn Traffic Crackdown: 53 ‘Ghost Cars’ Towed in Overnight NYC Sheriff Operation

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — A major overnight traffic enforcement operation by the New York City Sheriff’s Office led to the towing of 53 vehicles across Brooklyn, targeting so-called “ghost cars” — vehicles with fake, obscured, or altered license plates used to evade detection.

The coordinated sweep, conducted across multiple precincts in Kings County, focused on cracking down on vehicles that bypass traffic laws, avoid tolls, and in some cases, conceal criminal activity.

Citywide Sweep Targets Fake Plates and Expired Registrations

Officials confirmed that the towed vehicles were in violation for issues ranging from forged plates and expired registrations to the use of illegal license covers designed to evade toll cameras.

Photos shared by the Sheriff’s Office showed nighttime towing operations with rows of impounded vehicles being removed from city streets.

“These enforcement efforts are part of an ongoing mission to ensure public safety and traffic compliance,” NYC Sheriff’s Office officials said. “Ghost cars endanger the public by operating outside the law and avoiding accountability.”

Public Safety at the Core of Crackdown

Authorities emphasized that “ghost cars” have been linked to numerous traffic violations, toll evasion incidents, and criminal investigations across the city. The recent Brooklyn sweep is one of several ongoing efforts to remove unregistered and illegal vehicles from New York roadways.

Residents are urged to help by reporting vehicles with covered or unreadable plates through the NYC 311 system.

The Sheriff’s Office confirmed that similar enforcement actions will continue citywide in the coming weeks.

For more updates on law enforcement and city safety efforts, follow NapervilleLocal.com.