Task Force Busting Fake License Plates Back On The Road

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Today, Dallas County Commissioners and the North Central Council of Governments announced plans to bring back a task force to fight the growing problem of fake license plates.

Law enforcement officials say 90 percent of the paper license plates you see on the road are fake.

The money from selling those plates goes to fund gangs, drug dealers, even the cartel.

This is an update to a Consumer Justice investigation we brought you last year.

Drivers use fake temporary tags so they don't have to pay to register their cars or because the vehicle won't pass inspection.

The tags are illegally sold for $25 on Facebook or on the street.

The Dallas County Clean Air task force, who went after the people buying and selling the plates, disbanded last year after the Governor cut their funding.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said a smaller task force will be back on the road tackling the problem.

The original task force had four deputies and ten detectives assigned to the unit.

Jenkins said a $320,000 grant will pay for two full time deputies plus training and equipment.

"I would like to have got it done sooner, it took a lot more work than we thought. The gangs selling these fake inspection stickers are involved in all sorts of bad activities. We don't want to leave any avenue of them getting money open for them," said Jenkins.

Jenkins said the money was found with the help of the North Texas Council of Governments.

"Your videos and previous coverage has certainly shed some light on things we didn't know the specifics of," said COG Senior Program Manager Chris Klaus.

This money will run out by the Summer of 2019.

Jenkins hopes to secure a more permanent source of funding through the state in the meantime.