Operation Mermaid

A limousine on its way to Ascot on Saturday was stopped by police because its driver did not have a licence to drive the vehicle.

That was just one of the vehicles dealt with as part of Operation Mermaid – which aims to ensure that unsafe commercial vehicles and their drivers are detected and dealt with.

Road policing officers checked 37 vehicles at Thurrock on Saturday, June 19, 2010. They issued fixed penalties to the value of £3680 and dealt with drivers' hours offences.

Two vehicles checked were found to have a device stuck on the tachograph recording equipment preventing the tachograph recording the drivers working/driving hours and stopping the vehicles speed limiter. These drivers were dealt with for making false records.
 

An artic laden with illegal beer was seized by customs and a Lamborghini was seized because there was no insurance in force.

Pc Harry Sexton said: "Operation Mermaid is part of our ongoing effort to make the roads of Essex safer for everyone who uses them."