A crackdown on counterfeit tickets for NJ Transit trains, buses and light rail vehicles began this morning, as the transit agency announced plans to stem an increase in production and distribution of counterfeit tickets.

More than 200 arrests have been made in the past two years related to counterfeit activity, according to NJ Transit Police Department Officials, who said production and distribution of counterfeit tickets has been climbing, especially on trains.

NJ Transit today introduced a new, highly-visible procedure to ensure integrity of monthly and weekly rail tickets. The procedure included NJ Transit train crews using UV scanners to inspect passes. The passes now contain an anti-counterfeit measure that can only be detected with the special scanners.

"These are not victimless crimes," said NJ Transit Police Chief Christopher Trucillo. "These criminal acts financially penalize the hundreds of thousands of NJ Transit customer who lawfully utilize our system every weekday."

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