A group of North Carolina cops allegedly turned racial profiling into a competition ... challenging each other to see who could pull over the most Black drivers.

According to WBTV, officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department were caught exchanging racist messages in a group chat ... repeatedly using the n-word while discussing using force and firing guns at Black residents.

And the fallout has been massive ... more than half a dozen officers have reportedly either resigned or been recommended for firing.

Here's how the whole thing unraveled ... state investigators were looking into Officer Seth Elliott for allegedly misusing police surveillance technology to help someone involved in a drug investigation.

During that probe, investigators searched Elliott's phone and stumbled upon the disturbing group texts ... which were then handed over to CMPD, sparking a separate internal investigation.

WBTV reports the officers came from several divisions across the department, and those recommended for termination could still appeal. The Police Chief will ultimately decide their fate.

Elliott, who resigned more than a month ago, is facing a criminal charge over the surveillance technology allegations. His attorney declined to comment on the racist messages.

CMPD has neither confirmed nor denied the allegations ... but says it will not tolerate behavior that undermines the public's trust.

The department says it's committed to accountability and transparency ... though the alleged messages paint a pretty ugly picture of what was allegedly going on behind the badge.