AN OPERATION targeting foreign national offenders has resulted in 15 vehicles being seized, more than 400 checked and three people arrested.
As part of the week long ‘Operation Trivium’ agencies including Warwickshire Police, HM Revenue and Customs and Trading Standards teamed up to target those who cross borders for slavery, theft, drugs and other criminal activity.
On May 15 searches were made of three car washes in Rugby, in which a 23 year-old man from Albania was arrested on suspicion of illegal entry to the UK and handed to the Home Office’s immigration team.
The following day officers carried out searches on the A46 between Evesham and Alcester which resulted in seven vehicles being seized for driving with no insurance.
And on May 18 officers riding motorbikes wore helmets fitted with cameras capable of reading number plates. They checked some 400 vehicles in Stratford using the cameras, and seized eight for having no insurance. Two people were also arrested.
And stops of lorries at Corley services on the M6 saw two people arrested for driving offences.
Sgt Jem Mountford of Warwickshire Police, said, “I am extremely happy with the successful results we have been able to achieve over the week long operation.
“The operations were set up to catch offenders who are using our roads and borders to commit offences, by working in partnership with other agencies, we have been able to detect a number of offences and prevent further criminal activity. The message is clear – you will be caught and brought to justice.
“I would like to give a special thank you to all officers that worked tirelessly on these operations as without them we would have not been able to achieve this.
“Although the operation was only a week long, work will still continue to catch offenders who are breaking the law and using our roads to engage in illegal activity such as modern day slavery.”
Anyone with information or concerns is asked to call 101 and speak to police or ring 0800 555 111 to speak to Crimestoppers anonymously.
