Vehicles seized during illegal off-roading crackdown

Operation Harley targeted off-road hotspots including The British and common land around Blaenavon.

Police joined forces with the council and local councillors, landowners, the Commoners Association and Natural Resources Wales for the operation on Saturday, July 29.

In total they seized:

• three vans;
• two cars;
• one bike;
• one quad bike.

Officers also made two arrests and issued one section 59 warning - which means if a driver is caught driving on common land or in an anti-social manner again within 12 months their vehicle can be seized.

Sergeant Craig Ellis from Gwent Police said: “Illegal off-roading can cause great damage to our environment, and to our communities. We are regularly patrolling off-road hotspots and, as this makes clear, we will seize vehicles that are illegal or being used dangerously.”

“We can only succeed in successfully tackling this problem if we have intelligence from local communities so if you see illegal off-roading taking place, or suspect someone is using a vehicle illegally, please report it.”

Illegal off-roading causes damage to the landscape, harms wildlife and livestock, and can threaten the livelihood of farmers.

The use of untaxed, or uninsured, vehicles which are often used dangerously on the roads also puts pedestrians and road users at risk.

Police and Crime Commissioner Jeff Cuthbert said: "Illegal off-roading is a very hard crime to police. Our countryside areas are vast and the police’s powers to take any kind of preventative measures are limited.

“But this operation shows that we are continually working with the police and our partners to disrupt off-road activity and makes it clear that illegal off-roading will not be tolerated here in Gwent.”

You can report information anonymously via 101, or Gwent Police’s Facebook and Twitter page. You can also report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. In an emergency always call 999.