[A] multi-agency crackdown on criminal use of the Cumbria road network took place on Friday (9th February) with 41 motorists stopped and a number of offences identified.
Operation Milestone was primarily conducted at the Driver Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) checkpoint site at Todhills on the M6 north of Carlisle.
The operation saw numerous police resources utilised in partnership with HM Customs and Excise (HMCE), Cumbria Trading Standards and the DVSA.
Numerous offences were identified with positive action taken by the agencies involved. They included:
- Four vehicles checked in relation to the carriage of dangerous goods, one of which was immediately prohibited as its load was being carried in a dangerous manner.
- Two drivers issued with penalty notices for driver hours offences.
- Five overloaded vehicles dealt with by DVSA.
- Two overloaded vehicles dealt with by Police receiving fines of £300 each.
- An immediate prohibition issued in relation to a vehicle with defective brakes.
- Three HGVs and three Light Goods Vehicles checked by HM Customs for fuel duty offences where one driver received an on-the-spot fine of £940 for using fuel without the correct duty being paid.
- A driver fined £200 for use of mobile phone and received six penalty points on their licence.
- Numerous checks made by Trading Standards but no offences detected.
PC Iain Parsons, North Cumbria Mobile Support Group, said: “I’d like thank all the agencies that took part in Operation Milestone. Their expertise supported us in our efforts to target the criminal use of Cumbria’s roads.
“Motorists were stopped based on the experience and skills of police officers as well as intelligence-led stops.
“A lot of criminality involves people travelling around in vehicles to commit offences, by disrupting them we are able to further build on our capability to tackle offences that blight our communities.
“I’m pleased with the results of Friday’s operation and we will continue to be proactive in tackling crime on Cumbria’s road networks.”
Superintendent Mark Pannone, Operational Support Group, said: “Operations such as Milestone can have a real positive impact on our efforts to tackle crime as well as supporting our partner agencies.
“By close and effective working we are able to make a real difference to those who live, work and visit Cumbria.
“I hope Friday’s day of action sends a clear message to criminals that Cumbria is no soft touch and we will continue to run operations like this in the future to further disrupt criminal activity.”
