A TWO-week road crime crackdown led to 105 arrests, the seizure of drugs and weapons, and the recovery of stolen vehicles.

Officers from Roads Policing, the Operational Support Group (OSG) and Intelligence worked together to intercept vehicles in Basildon, Grays, Thurrock, Brentwood, Chelmsford and Harlow using proactive stops and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR).

Thirty-four arrests were made for drug driving, with cocaine and cannabis use prevalent. There were six arrests for drink-driving, and 20 people were detained for driving offences such as driving without a licence, insurance or while disqualified.

In total, more than three kilograms of cannabis, £3,000 in cash, seven weapons, 14 stolen vehicles and fraudulent documents were recovered.

There were 428 vehicle stops, with 19 cars, five motorbikes and three e-bikes seized, and 103 tickets were issued for traffic offences.

The operation included a deployment with officers from the Metropolitan Police in the Essex-London borders who made 16 arrests.

The team also focused on exploitation and road safety in the gig economy. Riders working for takeaway delivery companies were checked to make sure they had the correct licences, insurance and the legal right to work.

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Ninety-three immigration checks were carried out, and 29 arrests were made for immigration offences, including illegal entry to the UK and breaches of deportation orders.