Boston Police Crack Down on Illegal Drag Racing

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Police Department this weekend trained its sights on New Market Square in South Boston as it escalated efforts against drag racing there.

According to the BPD, the area has seen a steady increase in criminal drag racing since February, prompting concern from neighbors.

Writes BPD, "During these illegal events, large crowds have gathered to watch numerous vehicles including modified cars, trucks, ATV’s and dirt bikes race one another. In the past, any attempts at overt police enforcement resulted in the crowd dispersing in mass, allowing the perpetrators to flee the scene undetected."

Not so this weekend, say police.

From Friday through Sunday, the police department took a coordinated approach, to gather intelligence on the people taking part and organizing the racing events. They shared the approximate results of those efforts in a press release this week:

• 75 motor vehicle citations
• 35 criminal complaint applications
• Immediate Threat Reports filed to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles to have the licenses of the operators and/or owners of the vehicles revoked

According to police, participants came "from all over the Commonwealth," including but not limited to the North Shore, Lowell, Everett, Lynn and Boston itself.

Image via BPD