MORE than 30 cars have been stopped and five arrests made in a multi-agency operation to crack down on criminality on the roads.

On Saturday officers from Avon and Somerset were assisted by colleagues in the neighbouring Wiltshire and Gloucestershire forces to carry out Operation Utah 11.

The operation, which involved Automation Number Plate Recognition technology, was centred at the Holiday Inn, Hambrook.

Officers manned Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at set points on the M5 southbound, M4 eastbound and M32 westbound.

As with previous Utah operations the officers were supported by partner agencies of VOSA, DVLA, HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Works and Pensions.

The ANPR driven crime initiative, which ran between 12pm and 7pm, was designed to support the police operation covering the St Paul's Carnival.

In total five people were arrested for a number of offences, including being in possession of drugs and theft of motor vehicles.

A total of nine vehicles tested positive for the presence of either heroin or cocaine.

In each case specialist search officers conducted a more thorough examination of the vehicles supported by trained drugs dogs.

A further eight vehicles were seized for being uninsured.

Police sergeant Martin Phillips said: "It was a successful multi-agency operation which allowed us to carry out checks on the vehicle and occupants.

"The expertise of other agencies including the Border and Immigration Agency and HM Revenue and Customs resulted in a number of motorists now facing fines or prosecution".

ANPR systems instantly check up to 3,000 vehicles an hour against various databases of intelligence.

This includes information provided by police officers, Crimestoppers, the DVLA and other forces about vehicles used by disqualified drivers, people wanted on warrant and those who are suspected of committing crime.