A crackdown on criminals using roads in the Thames Valley has seen 18 people arrested and hundreds of motorists stopped.

The "ring of steel" operation - called Operation Titan - is one of the largest crackdowns launched on the roads by Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Police. 

Headed up by the Joint Roads Policing Unit, the four-day crackdown aimed to stop criminals and their vehicles who persistently use the road networks to carry out their crimes.

A total of 18 people were arrested for crimes ranging from possession of Class A drugs to theft and driving while under the influence of drugs.

The team kicked-off the operation on Monday in Iver and Denham before moving to Southampton on Tuesday, Portsmouth on Wednesday and then finishing in Slough on Thursday.

Following the stop of one car in Iver and Denham officers seized a large quantity of a substance believed to be cocaine. 

If tests come back confirming that it is cocaine, the estimated street value is around £100,000.

A 21-year-old man from Denham was also arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle.

He was released from custody but remains under investigation.

Also in Denham and Iver, eight drivers were stopped for no insurance with seven vehicles seized, 11 drivers were stopped for having no Vehicle Excise Licence with five seizures, one driver was reported for driving while disqualified and another for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Two vehicles believed to be stolen were recovered and are currently being examined. 

The crackdown saw roads policing officers using motorbikes, marked and unmarked cars, as well as the Commercial Vehicle Unit to target law-breaking motorists.

The team's Commercial Vehicle Unit found one vehicle containing Red Diesel in Denham and Iver, while one driver was given a fixed penalty notice for using a mobile phone behind the wheel and another was fined for speeding. 

They used the latest ANPR technology and worked alongside experts from partner agencies like the DVLA, Immigration and the Motors Insurers’ Bureau.

Inspector Simon Hills, who headed up the operation, said: “The operation has been very successful. It is exactly what we hoped it would be and of course, we are looking to do further operations in the future.

“We have had a large number of people arrested for serious offences such a possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply and stolen vehicles.

“We have also disrupted a large number of people who were breaking simple road traffic laws which were putting other people in danger.

“My message to the public is that they should be reassured by what they are seeing here in Thames Valley and Hampshire. 

“We take this type of action very seriously and we are determined to deny criminals the use of our roads and therefore were will continue with this collaborative approach to make sure that happens.”