An operation to carry out spot checks on waste carrying vehicles in and around Gravesend in a battle against a range of offences.
The multi-agency operation led by Gravesham Borough Council has carried out spot checks this week. They focused on waste carrying vehicles using the A2 and local roads in and around Gravesend. The operation is part of the battle against environmental crime, revenue evasion, illegal immigration, and road traffic offences.
Operation Nightjar saw Gravesham Borough Council’s Environmental Enforcement team work together with the DVSA, DVLA, the Environment Agency, Kent Police’s Roads Policing Unit and North Kent Neighbourhood Policing Team, HMRC, and the Home Office.
In all around 50 vehicles were stopped, including heavy goods vehicles carrying waste through the borough.
During the course of the day one arrest was made for immigration related offences, 20 drivers or companies will face summonses for a variety of matters, three vehicles were seized for vehicle excise offences, and another was seized for having no insurance and other traffic offences.
HMRC also tested 15 vehicles for untaxed red diesel, however none was found.
Welcoming the operation, Cllr Emma Morley, Gravesham Borough Council’s cabinet member for operational services, said:
“Together with our partners, we are always working to ensure Gravesham is not a safe place for those with something to hide."
“While our connectivity with the rest of the country is one of our strengths, it also presents challenges with offenders looking to use the busy A2 to hide in plain sight.
“Operation Nightjar is proof that those who do so are running the very real risk of being caught and dealt with.
“I’m grateful to all those agencies that joined with us, and our message to those with something to hide is that you will never know when the exercise will be repeated, so think twice.”