News of: Friday, April 15 2005,
Yesterday, police held a large check of drivers and cars, in Amsterdam.
Three hundred police staff, and staff of the Social Service, the City Transport Company and the Tax Department worked together to check on hundreds of car drivers at various points in Amsterdam.
In total, a thousand persons were checked for drunk driving, possession of weapons and illegal drugs, and fines and taxes still to be paid.
The action was aimed at notorious criminals and other persons known to cause trouble frequently. Police say the action has the purpose to make Amsterdam and the region safer. More action is to follow.
The police used the 'Catch Ken', a device that the police can use to recognize car license plates of criminals. Their cars were picked out to check.
Also young persons in very expensive cars, and cars with black or very dark windows were stopped.
Apart from car drivers, persons were checked at metro station Weesperplein, pub visitors and taxi drivers.
So far, the result is that several cars were taken off the road, 1.5 kilogram illegal drugs were seized, one car had 100,000 Euro in cash, and many illegal weapons were seized.
32 Persons were arrested.
