Police sniff out lawbreakers

Traffic police launched a crackdown on dishonest motorists during a day-long operation across Greater Manchester.

Officers used Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) equipment to identify vehicles reported as stolen and those being driven by uninsured, untaxed or unlicensed drivers.

In all, they arrested two people, seized 49 cars and issued 95 fixed penalty tickets.

Sniffer dogs were used to check for drugs and examiners checked cars suspected of being cloned or in a dangerous condition.

Chief Insp Alec McMurchy said: “All units from the Greater Manchester Police Traffic Network Section worked together on this operation to make the roads safer for law-abiding people who use them.

“Our aim is to get uninsured, cloned, stolen or just downright dangerous vehicles off the road and disrupt those who are using the roads in the area for criminal purposes.”