Police sting nets cash and drugs

SNOW and ice are no deterrents to crooks - so police in Honiton mounted a sting operation in the town last week.

The action resulted in the arrest of three men after cannabis and a large quantity of cash were found in the vehicle they were travelling in.

The vehicle was stopped on the A35 in Kings Road last Thursday evening.

All three occupants were arrested on suspicion of money laundering. One, a 24-year-old from Exeter, has been bailed to return to Heavitree Road Police Station in March, pending further inquiries.

Sergeant Martin Burrow said the arrested men were merely passing through Honiton when their car was stopped and that they had no connection to the town. Two were released without charge.

Joined by specialist officers from Launceston and Exmouth, the sting team used the latest technology in a bid to catch motorists who may be flouting the law.

Sergeant Burrow revealed officers concentrated on Exeter Road, the A373 at Awliscombe and the A35 in the area between Wilmington and Tower Cross.

Two vehicles were seized during the night for not being insured.

Three motorists have been asked to produce their documentation as a result of the sting, one was given a fixed penalty ticket for not wearing a seat belt and another motorist was ordered to fix a minor defect.

Sergeant Burrow described the sting as "a proactive operation, targeting road safety and travelling criminals".

He said ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) technology was used to alert police to vehicles that may be travelling with no insurance or MOT.

Local officers, including members of Honiton CID, were joined by the ANPR unit from Launceston and members of the Exmouth-based Partners and Communities Together team for the operation.

Afterwards, Sergeant Burrow said: "This proved to be a successful operation and the positive response it has generated shows its value. "We will be conducting similar operations in the future.