MORE than 100 vehicles were checked as part of a multi-agency operation on the M4 - part of an ongoing operation intended to take criminals and illegal visitors off the regions's roads.

Six people were arrested as 140 vehicles were checked as part of the operation at Tormarton on the M4 westbound carriageway and both north and southbound on the A46.

Police from Avon and Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire police forces co-operated with partner agencies in Operation Utah 5 on Friday evening.

It involved using the automatic number plate recognition system which scans vehicle number plates and alerts monitoring officers to vehicle warning markers.

During the day people were arrested for possession of drugs, driving while disqualified and being wanted on warrant.

Ten uninsured vehicles were seized and removed from the road, seven untaxed vehicles were clamped by the DVLA, seven overweight goods vehicles were detected by VOSA. Two drivers were discovered to have exceeded their permitted driving hours and a further prohibition orders were issued to owners of 16 cars and light commercial vehicles for various defects.

A total of 37 vehicles were tested by officers from revenue and customs for the presence of rebated fuel and found one offending driver. His vehicle was seized and he was required to pay a £500 fine in order to have his vehicle restored.

Police officers swabbed 46 vehicles for the signs of the presence of class A drugs - 13 tested positive and all of those vehicles were thoroughly searched at the check site.

A further 15 drivers were reported for other road traffic offences.

This was the fifth operation held under the Operation Utah banner. The first was held in July this year when more than 110 vehicles were stopped, 11 people arrested and 19 vehicles seized as part of a special operation.