SuffolkNews spends the day with Suffolk Police hunting organised crime and motoring offences at Copdock Mill Interchange, Ipswich

We were rushing through the streets of Ipswich, sirens blazing, on the hunt for lawbreakers.

On Friday, police from multiple counties plus a number of partners, held a day of action looking to tackle organised crime and road offences, particularly the ‘fatal four’ – not wearing a seatbelt, drink or drug driving, using a mobile phone and speeding.

This was done under ‘Operation Alliance’ and SuffolkNews was invited to spend the morning with officers to learn how units can work together to bring offenders off the roads.

The above video illustrates some of the things we got up to during the day.

Between 8am and 4pm, nine arrests were made, 105 vehicles were stopped and 171 traffic offence reports were issued.

In addition, immigration officers fined someone £45,000.

A spokesman for Suffolk Police said officers were patrolling the county.

Some would scan for vehicles with defects, others conducted speed checks, while more still were out on patrol in cars looking for lawbreakers.

Each vehicle stopped was brought back to Copdock Mill Interchange, where officers had set up a site, to be searched and where tests were conducted.

Overweight cars would have their bulk removed before they were permitted to leave.

Dozens of roadside breath and drug tests were also conducted.

The police spokesman said 53 breath tests came back negative, alongside 36 drug tests.

In total, six drug tests came back positive.

During the day, SuffolkNews went out with the South Sentinel team in Ipswich.

Within a few minutes, the team were searching for a vehicle using cloned licence plates and vehicles linked to drug supply.

However, they eventually stopped a van believed to be involved in modern slavery offences.

When it was towed back to the site, it was revealed that the driver was wanted on warrant by the courts, and was arrested.

Sergeant Dave Logan, from the Sentinel South Team, said their bread and butter was typically looking for burglars and drug dealers.

However, many teams had shifted their duties for the day to help out during the day’s events.

Mr Logan said: “The point of today for us is to drive around looking for organised crime and ensuring vehicles use roads safely.

“We find the public tend to get behind these kinds of days where we try to fight crime, particularly organised crime, rather than just going after the fatal four.

“All cars stopped are taken back to Copdock where officers and partner organisations speak to them and ensure everyone is happy. Some people, such as tradesmen can get annoyed, however it’s vital cars are roadworthy.

“It’s staggering how few people leave the site with no offences – this is for everyone’s safety. If you’re driving, you put your trust in other motorists in the hopes you’re sharing the road with safe drivers.”

In addition to Suffolk and Norfolk Police, officers from Essex, Cambridgeshire, Kent, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire were also present.

Partner agencies for the day of action included the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA); HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC); Home Office Immigration Enforcement; the Environment Agency as well as local authorities.

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