Twelve arrested and £130,000 in illegal goods seized during Norfolk roads crime crackdown
Multi-agency operation in Thetford targets organised crime, immigration offences and fraudulent driving documents
A major enforcement operation on Norfolk's road network resulted in 12 arrests and the seizure of counterfeit and illegal goods worth around £130,000.
The coordinated crackdown took place in and around the A11 near Thetford on 12 June as part of Operation Foxtail, a targeted initiative designed to tackle serious and organised criminal activity linked to the county's roads. The operation was led by Sgt Josh Preston and supported through the Home Office's Terminus fund, which focuses on disrupting organised immigration crime through road-based enforcement activity.
Police officers from the joint Roads Policing Team and Commercial Vehicle Unit worked alongside the Moonshot Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) team, response officers, Immigration Enforcement and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
During the operation, officers intercepted two vans carrying large quantities of suspected illicit goods. The haul included illegal wine valued at approximately £60,000, tobacco products worth around £40,000 and suspected illegal vapes estimated at £30,000. Both vehicles and their contents were seized, with the drivers dealt with by HMRC.
Immigration Enforcement officers arrested seven people for a range of immigration-related offences, including overstaying visas and illegal working.
Elsewhere, two men wanted in connection with multiple shop theft offences across Norfolk were detained. The thefts are believed to total more than £3,000. Both men have since been charged and remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance.
Officers also issued 18 Traffic Offence Reports for a variety of motoring offences, including driving without insurance, operating vehicles without a valid MOT, driving without a licence, failing to wear a seatbelt and using vehicles deemed to be in a dangerous condition. Seven vehicles were seized during the day's activity.
Speaking after the operation, Sgt Josh Preston of the Roads and Armed Policing Team said: “These operations continue to provide us with the opportunity to disrupt serious organised crime on Norfolk’s roads.
“We’re able to disrupt and break down networks involved in drug supply and human trafficking, helping safeguard those who are most at risk.
“Working with partner agencies such as Immigration Enforcement and HMCR allow us to provide a coordinated approach and ensure that we can act effectively against those choosing to offend in our county.”
Cheryl Daldry, Lead for East of England Immigration, Compliance & Enforcement, praised the collaborative effort, saying: “I want to thank my officers and colleagues in Norfolk Police for their hard work in this successful operation, and the continued joint work to crack down on immigration offenders.
“If you are here illegally, Immigration Enforcement will track you down and return you at the earliest opportunity.”