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Crime Reporter

Police have so far this year impounded 14 000 unregistered vehicles, while more than 20 000 touts have been arrested countrywide after more errant people and drivers were accounted for last weekend.

This comes as authorities intensify operations against illegal activities.

Most of the touts were released after being fined while the unregistered vehicles will only be released once they have been registered.

National police spokesperson Assistant Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests.

“On October 3, 2021, 31 unregistered motor vehicles were impounded across the country,” he said. “A total of 14 035 vehicles have been impounded since the inception of ‘Operation no to unregistered motor vehicles’ on January 1, 2021.

“Police also arrested 55 people for touting, bringing the total of touting related arrests to 22 380 since the operation commenced.”

On Sunday, police arrested 97 people throughout the country for engaging in illegal mining activities, while two people were arrested for carrying dangerous weapons.

“Cumulative arrests since the commencement of the operation targeting illegal miners and people carrying dangerous weapons stand at 49 906,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

Last week, police raised nearly $32 million after arresting and fining over 44 000 touts, owners of unregistered vehicles and cars fitted with dangerous bar headlights under an ongoing operation.

Among those that were arrested and fined were 328 people that were found with dangerous weapons.

Of the total arrested, 21 790 were touts, 13 855 unregistered vehicles, while 8 416 were motorists with cars that are fitted with illegal bar headlights.

They were all fined a total of $31 604 000 from Sunday to yesterday in separate incidents.

In July, police warned that extended headlights mounted on vehicles, blamed for causing some fatal accidents, were illegal.

Through Statutory Instrument 129 of 2015, Government banned the mounting of additional headlights on motor vehicles.

The law states that those who want to make any modifications to their cars should first seek authority.

The additional headlights which some motorists fitted on their cars cannot be dipped, compromising the vision for other drivers.