Police target motorway criminals

60 vehicles were stopped, 4 people were arrested and 6 vehicles were seized as part of a one day ANPR operation in Gwent.

The Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) Operation took place on Friday 18th September and focussed on the A449 and the M4, including the Second Severn Crossing. It was designed to target travelling criminals using these main arterial routes into the Force area.

ANPR police officers combined resources with Road Policing officers and Armed Response officers to provide high visibility patrols of the motorway and A449 to identify vehicles and offenders involved in criminality, including driving and drug offences.

Representatives from the Department of Work and Pensions and the DVLA were also involved in the multi-agency crackdown.

Results included:

60 Vehicles stopped and checked -
6 Vehicles seized for having no insurance/no driving licence
160 speeding offences detected
2 people reported for driving document offences
15 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for various offences including use of a mobile phone whilst driving/not wearing a seatbelt/vehicle defects
3 people arrested for possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply
3 people cautioned for possession of controlled drugs
1 person arrested for failing to appear at court
5 people being investigated by Department of Work and Pensions.

PC Paul Biggs who led the operation said: “Some of the main gateways into Wales are within the Gwent Police Force area, with this in mind activity was focussed on targeting travelling criminals and reducing risk and harm to local communities.

“The operation was intelligence led and positive results were obtained by all involved - demonstrating the effectiveness of this type of multi-departmental and multi-agency operation.

“Gwent residents should be reassured that travelling criminality is taken very seriously and this is just one of a number of operations that Gwent Police is involved in with the primary objective of denying criminals the use of the roads.”