Police officers and state troopers from 22 law enforcement agencies joined to crackdown on fake auto insurance cards Wednesday.
It was the largest one-day operation of its kind in Florida's.
"We have a system in place where we have someone at the command post and will right away confirm if the insurance card is valid or not," said Florida Highway Patrol trooper Carlos Rosario.
On top of checking the validity of a driver's license and vehicle registration during a traffic stop or at the scene of a crash, officers called in to a command center set up at the Miami Police Grapeland Heights substation.
Representatives from several insurance companies were on site to verify cards.
"You and I that have insurance we're paying for the people that don't have insurance," said Brett Kelly of Kingsway Amigo Insurance Company. "What this is doing is it's forcing people that don't have insurance to get insurance."
In the event of a crash with an uninsured driver, the cost can be eventually passed on to those with valid insurance.
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"Fake insurance cards have been easy to pass off as genuine, because it is very difficult for a law enforcement officer to verify active insurance coverage during a traffic stop or crash investigation," FHP Sergeant Tom Pikul said.
It is illegal to drive without insurance or a fake insurance card in Florida.
"One of the things that insurance companies are saying is that because of fraud they have to raise prices," said Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado.
If a card comes back phony, the driver will be arrested and charged with a third degree felony.
The operation ran from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Miami-Dade County.
