The operation was carried out last week with the twin aims of checking that scrap metal dealers and their clientele are not involved in trading stolen metals and secondly clamping down on unlicensed and unregistered waste disposal firms who are responsible for many flytips.

All vehicles entering a local scrap metal yard were searched and their drivers questioned. Although no stolen items were found, three men were arrested for breaching immigration rules, while on the spot fines were issued to other traders for using a mobile phone whilst driving, having bald tyres and for license plate irregularities.

Five van drivers were also stopped and questioned for potential breaches of environmental protection laws after being found transporting waste without the correct paperwork. If they do not produce proper documentation within seven days they face a £300 fine.

Three others were given formal warnings for not carrying their waste carriers licences with them.

A separate operation by police against uninsured drivers a few days later led to the seizure of 16 vehicles in Wandsworth.  This was part of a London-wide operation that removed a total of 533 uninsured vehicles from the capital’s roads.

The council’s cabinet member for environment and community safety Cllr Jonathan Cook said:
“Anyone tempted to deal in stolen metal or dump unlicensed waste in Wandsworth should bear in mind that around every bend in the road there could be a roadblock waiting for them.  The council and the borough’s safer neighbourhoods teams are committed to working together to catch metal thieves and flytippers.”

Last year the council’s waste enforcement team issued 647 on-the-spot litter fines, took nine flytippers to court and handed out 8,715 formal warnings.

February 11, 2012