34 CARS SEIZED IN AMBUSH; Offenders held in big crackdown.

Byline: By HOMA KHALEELI

SIXTEEN people were arrested in south Liverpool in a police crackdown on criminals using the roads.

Offenders were stopped yesterday for possession and supply of drugs, disqualified driving and unauthorised taking of vehicles and public order offences.

More than 100 officers seized 34 cars and issued 70 fixed penalty notices.

Another 22 people were given a summons for traffic offences as officers carried out checks on public transport.

Police also used automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems, which can scan the plates of 3,000 cars an hour to check if they had been used in crimes.

Chief Supt Andy Cooke said: "This operation clearly shows that Merseyside police will not tolerate criminals using our roads.

"ANPR is a vital tool in our armoury to target vehicles being driven illegally and anti-socially.

"The message from Merseyside police is clear - if you are using the roads for criminal purposes you will be caught."

Throughout the day police officers were joined by special constables, and travel community support officers and other enforcement officers carried out checks on people using the roads and public transport.

Officers were able to examine intelligence at the touch of a button on a laptop computer at the roadside.

The ANPR system can match number plates against information stored in databases, such as the police national computer, DVLA databases and local intelli-! gence databases, to check if the vehicles were stolen cars, or had been used in crime.

The people arrested during the raids were all being questioned at police stations today.

Two weeks ago a ring of steel was thrown around Wir-ral in a big police operation to halt drug and gun crime.

CAPTION(S):

BRIEFING: Officers gear up for the large-scale operation checking cars and their drivers in south Liverpool; MESSAGE: Chief Supt Andy Cooke