POLICE in Consett have stopped and checked over 100 vehicles to combat illegal road users.

The beat team, traffic officers, council wardens, licensing officials along with staff from HMRC and VOSA have been working together checking commercial vehicles for defects and illegal fuel.

They have also been targeting scrap metal dealers to check their licences and loads.

Inspector Keith Wardle said: “Operations such as these are highly effective at combating illegal vehicles and drivers on our roads.

“One of our primary aims was to gather intelligence so that we can continue to carry out these multi-agency operations to reduce road-related criminal activity and promote a safe environment for the road user.”

Operation Whitehall, which began on Tuesday and ran until lunchtime today, saw 119 vehicles inspected, including seven scrap vans.

Vehicles were stopped at various locations, including Consett, Moorside, Cornsay, Lanchester, Shotley Bridge and Burnhope.

Out of the 119 vehicles checked during the operation, nine vehicles were issued prohibition notices, three fixed penalty notices were issued, three drivers were asked to produce documents at the police station and one vehicle was seized as the driver did not hold a valid driving licence.