Police in Pontypool arrested five people during an operation targeting unofficial scrap metal merchants, bogus officials and rouge traders this month.
Officers carried out mobile patrols and any vehicles stopped were taken to a static check site at the VOSA site at Polo Grounds Industrial Estate in New Inn.
Pontypool Neighbourhood Policing Team worked with Customs and Excise, the Department of Work and Pensions, vehicle inspectorate VOSA, and Torfaen County Borough Council’s Environmental Health during the two-day operation.
Technology provided by Gwent Police’s ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) Unit was also utilised to scan number plates and check them against police records.
Any vehicles connected with offences were stopped and taken to the check site for officers to investigate and search vehicles where necessary.
In total 151 vehicles were stopped on February 3rd and 10th – results included:
- Five people were arrested (four for theft and one for assault). These arrests resulted in a man, aged 22, from Gloucester, being charged with assault; two 22-year-old men from Griffithstown being charged with theft; and two men, aged 26 and 22, from Blackwood, were released without charge.
- Five commercial vehicles were seized for having no insurance.
- Five endorsable fixed penalty notices (£60 fine and three points on licence) were issued for various offences, including driving while using a mobile phone.
- Seven non-endorsable fixed penalty notices (£30 fine) were issued for minor road traffic offences.
- 11 referrals requiring further investigation into fraudulent benefit claims were made by the Department of Work and Pensions. Two people had their benefits suspended with immediate effect.
- 24 referrals requiring further investigation by Environmental Health into unlicensed waste/scrap carriers were made. Two people have already received cautions.
- One man received a £500 on-the-spot fine from Customs and Excise for using inappropriate fuel in his vehicle. Another received a verbal warning following traces of red diesel being found in his fuel.
- 24 prohibition notices were issued to commercial vehicles by VOSA, which means they were taken off the road until defects that were identified are rectified. One man was prosecuted by the vehicle inspectorate because his vehicle was in such a dangerous condition.
Sergeant Mike Pheasant, of Pontypool Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “All of our officers and staff from partner agencies worked extremely hard to achieve these excellent results.
“As well as taking action against offenders, we gathered a large amount of intelligence that will help us tackle unofficial scrap metal merchants, bogus officials and rouge traders in the future.
This operation demonstrates what can be achieved when partner agencies come together and the results send out a strong message to the criminal fraternity.
I would like to thank everyone who took part and we will continue to target those involved in this type of activity.”
Anyone with information illegal activities should call Gwent Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
