A day of action to crackdown on criminal drivers using Suffolk’s roads has been carried out in Felixstowe.
The aim of the operation, which is run monthly in a range of locations across the county, is to disrupt and frustrate the activities of criminals, including organised crime groups, who commit offences across county borders whilst using the road network.
The work is intelligence led, involving vehicles identified as being potentially involved in criminality being brought back to a site where police and partner agencies will conduct checks of the vehicles and their occupants.
Officers from Suffolk police also targeted road users who were driving unsafe cars or driving their vehicles while under the influence of drugs or drink.
PC Luke Heffer said: ""We're working with partner agencies to deny criminals the use of the road, looking at all different aspects of criminality including drink and drug drivers, vehicles with defects as well as unsafe loads.
"These are things that we're looking to reduce on the roads. We see them around the county and nationally too, and it is something we want to reduce.
"We want to educate drivers on the dangers of unsafe vehicles and the dangers of drink and drug driving.
Since February, six similar operations have taken place in Suffolk. They have seen 25 people arrested, 14 vehicles seized and 200 traffic offence reports written.
At the operation, there were representatives from the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency, Driver & Vehicle Licencing Agency, Trading Standards and HM Revenue & Customs.
PC Heffer added: "So far today it has been very effective. We have had a number of vehicles through the site and we have had a number of traffic offence reports issued for various defects.
"We had a driver arrested for failing to give their correct details, for having no driving licence and for driving under the influence of drugs.
"To those on the road we are actively seeking to make the road safer. We are out and about patrolling in both marked and unmarked vehicles.
"We will deal with these types of offences robustly and drivers will need to change their habits if they think they can get away with driving an unsafe vehicle or driving under the influence of drink or drugs."
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