By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
A license plate tracking program established to seize cars and money to combat drug trafficking has gone far beyond its original scope and has led to the collection and storage of millions of records about motorists, Reuters reports.
Not only is the database being used to track drug dealers, but state and locals authorities are using it to search for cars tied to other serious crimes, raising questions among privacy advocates.
This is the first time the DEA has revealed it is expanding its database beyond the Mexican border.
What remained unknown was whether a judge or agency was responsible for oversight.
A debate is being waged in Washington over what some are expressing as privacy concerns with license plate readers.
