New national police unit targets illegal number plates and organised crime in England

A new centralised police unit will tackle illegal number plates used by criminals to evade detection and move stolen goods across England.

National Roads Policing Coordination Centre launched to combat plate fraud

A new centralised police unit will target illegal number plates used by organised crime groups across England, BBC News reports. The National Roads Policing Coordination Centre (NRPCC) will pool data and intelligence from forces across the country, alongside new technology including specialist goggles capable of detecting plates rendered unreadable to cameras.

Illegal number plates are frequently used by criminal networks to transport stolen goods and to dodge speeding, parking, and clean air zone penalties, according to the Department for Transport. Drivers found with incorrectly displayed or missing plates face fines of up to £1,000.

The plates take several forms. Cloned plates copy the registration of a legitimate vehicle, while so-called ghost plates use a transparent film to evade automatic number plate recognition cameras. Vehicles that successfully hide from such cameras are significantly harder for police to trace when stolen or connected to criminal activity.

Policing and crime minister Sarah Jones said: "Illegal number plates are not a victimless offence. They are used by criminals to avoid detection, move illegal goods and stay one step ahead of law enforcement."

Jones added that combining forces and deploying better technology would allow the new unit to identify offenders more quickly and disrupt criminal gangs.

Ch Supt Marc Clothier, deputy national co-ordinator for the NRPCC, said the ghost plates operation had already demonstrated the value of a targeted, intelligence-led approach. "The police forces involved in our ghost plates operation have shown how effective a targeted and intelligence-led approach is in tackling offenders as well as educating and supporting drivers in ensuring their number plates are compliant," he said.

The government said the NRPCC would improve collaboration across forces, building on existing operations to scale enforcement nationally.

Source: BBC News