Indian Trail, North CarolinaQueen City News) — Since January 2023, approximately 1,100 counterfeit or imitation license plates have been seized by deputies from the Union County Sheriff's Office, specifically those working in Indian Trail, USCO reports.
That equates to roughly two counterfeit license plates per day. Authorities said the traffic crackdown has led to the arrest of several criminals, recovery of stolen vehicles and seizure of illegal weapons and drugs.
Why is this a problem? According to UCSO, drivers with fake license plates are often uninsured, haven't had their vehicle inspected, and may not have a valid license. Fake license plates are also useful for hiding stolen vehicles.
The Fake License Plate Operation, which involved 28 officers from various agencies across the county, resulted in 225 criminal charges being filed on Wednesday, June 12. Some of the charges include:
- Drink driving: 2
- No driver's license: 24
- No car insurance: 18
- Driving while license revoked: 12
- Registration violations: 42
- Felony drug offenses: 4
- Concealed Carry Violation: 2
- Fake license plates: 23
UCSO emphasizes that a simple traffic stop due to a fake license plate can lead to the discovery of more serious charges.
“The driver charged in this investigation frequently told deputies he had been warned by his criminal associates to stay out of Union County and he regrets not following that advice,” Sheriff Eddie Cathey said. “The deputies of the Union County Sheriff's Office have once again raised the bar when it comes to aggressively protecting and serving our residents.”
