Drugs, Dangerous Loads and Road Crime: Big Kent Police Clampdown
Kent Police hit the streets hard on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, with a major road safety blitz in town centre. Officers from the Road Safety Unit stopped a car and seized both drugs and a baton, arresting a man on suspicion of possessing class B drugs and an offensive weapon. He’s now out on bail as investigations continue.
Crackdown Sees Drug Drivers, Illegal Vehicle Use and Overloaded Lorries Nabbed
Throughout the day, Kent Police patrolled using a mix of marked cars, unmarked vehicles, and police bikes to catch rule-breakers. They teamed up with Dartford Borough Council and Environment Agency officials focusing on waste crime and taxi licensing. The result? Multiple arrests and fines.
- Two drivers caught drug driving after being stopped for no insurance.
- Another arrested for stealing a vehicle.
- A flatbed transit lorry overloaded by over 130%, tipping the scales at more than 8 tonnes instead of the legal 3.5 tonnes.
The lorry driver now faces court and a bill topping £2,000 for driving an unsuitable vehicle dangerously overloaded.
Piles of Fines for Traffic Offenders
Officers also issued Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) left, right and centre:
- Two drivers hit with TORs for insecure loads.
- 23 others fined for offences including speeding, no seatbelt, defective tyres, running red lights, parking/unloading on zebra crossings, and driving without MOT or insurance.
Police Vow To Keep Kent’s Roads Safe
“Road safety is a shared responsibility. We work regularly with partners to educate motorists and enforce the law so everyone gets home safe,” said Inspector Ian Warner from Kent Police’s Roads Policing Unit.
“We still see drivers breaking laws – speeding, no seatbelts, unroadworthy cars, drug or drink driving. It’s simply unacceptable, and we’ll keep up spot checks county-wide for the safety of all road users.”
“We stand fully behind Kent County Council’s Vision Zero strategy to wipe out road deaths and will keep cracking down on dangerous and irresponsible driving while raising awareness of the risks involved.”
