Police forces in Wales have teamed up with their English counterparts to tackle uninsured drivers on the M4.

The operation, run on April 11, saw five police forces collaborate in an landmark initiative to combat uninsured driving all along the M4 from London to Swansea.

Officers from South Wales, Gwent, Avon and Somerset, Wiltshire, and Thames Valley Police forces joined together in this Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) initiative.

As part of the crackdown, an undisclosed number of uninsured vehicles were seized along the 170-mile stretch.

Furthermore, more than a quarter of the stops led to the discovery of secondary offences, including stolen vehicles and drug offences.

The operation, the first in a series across UK motorways, received support from the MIB, an organisation dedicated to protecting people from the risk of uninsured and hit-and-run drivers.

Through the MIB’s support, additional resources including officers, marked vehicles, ANPR cameras, control room operatives and intel staff were deployed.

Superintendent Ryan Francis, from Gwent Police, highlighted the contributions of the operation, saying: "We’re delighted to have MIBs support, and to work with the other M4 services, in tackling an issue that reaches much further than what is seen on the surface.

"We know that through our efforts today, we’ll have stopped stolen and cloned vehicles, individuals with outstanding court warrants, and disqualified drivers, alongside identifying other traffic offences that pose a risk."

Superintendent Colin Hudson, head of roads policing for Thames Valley Police & Hampshire Constabulary, added: "Regrettably, some individuals persist in driving without adequate insurance, putting innocent road users at risk.

"By using the intelligence insights and data from Operation Tutelage and MIB, we've successfully removed numerous hazardous vehicles from the roads during this operation."

Moreover, chief constable Jo Shiner of Sussex Police, argued: "Tackling the fatal 4 offences remains a daily priority for all police forces, but when initiatives such as ‘Operation M4’ are deployed onto our roads we can really see how working together saves lives."

The MIB, as part of a £5 million investment aimed at reducing uninsured driving, is currently exploring future collaborative operations on major UK road networks.

Martin Saunders, head of enforcement at MIB, assured: "Whilst we work with the police throughout the year, supporting forces in designating time to focus on uninsured driving allows this issue to be tackled head-on in a targeted way."