MORE than 110 vehicles were stopped, 11 people arrested and 19 vehicles seized as part of a special operation involving four police forces and nine enforcement agencies on the M4 and M48 Severn Bridges.

Around 15,000 vehicles crossing the M4 Severn Bridge and 10,000 travelling on the M48 bridge at Aust were scanned by special Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) units that alert officers to any crime the vehicle or its occupants are wanted for.

Last week's action - the latest under Operation Utah Wales and West - involved more than 100 police officers from Avon and Somerset, Gwent, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, as well as 40 officials from various bodies including DVLA, Work and Pensions, Immigration, Revenue and Customs Trading Standards and Animal Health.

One person was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, three for driving while disqualified, three for possession of cannabis, two for possession of offensive weapons, one for being wanted on warrant and one for drink driving.

In addition, 16 vehicles were seized for having no insurance, one articulated lorry was seized for having a fraudulent excise licence. Two further vehicles were seized by Customs officials for using illegal fuel.

Some 36 prohibition notices on unroadworthy vehicles were also issued and Department for Work and Pensions is dealing with two people for benefit fraud.

Inspector Mike Parr from Avon and Somerset Police's Tactical Crime Unit said: "This is the third Utah operation that we have run, meaning in total we have caught up with 68 people who had, until now, been flouting the law, and seized 59 vehicles which should not be on our roads.

"Number plate recognition technology means we can identify people wanted for a whole range of offences, from possession of drugs to benefit fraud.

"Bringing together our neighbouring forces and the expertise of partner agencies means we can deal with the whole range of offences on site.

"We will certainly be looking to run similar large scale operations in future, including in other areas of the force, as well as using ANPR units on a daily basis throughout the region."

ANPR systems instantly check up to 3,000 vehicles an hour against various databases of intelligence. This includes information provided by police officers, Crimestoppers, the DVLA and other forces about vehicles used by disqualified drivers, people wanted on warrant and those who are suspected of committing crime.

If a suspicious vehicle is identified by ANPR, police units intercept to carry out checks on the vehicle and occupants.

The expertise of other agencies including the Border and Immigration Agency and HM Revenue and Customs can then be called on.