Sixty-five vehicles were stopped by police during an operation to target motorists using faulty number plates.

Codenamed Operation Dragon, the clampdown ran throughout the six counties including Bedfordshire between July 16 and August 5 as part of wider policing arrangements to support security in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics.

It is the second operation of its kind and helped towards a drop in crime levels, fewer road traffic casualties and limited the number of unsafe drivers using the roads.

Drivers with non-standard registration plates are targeted because Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology cannot read them, which creates problems in identifying criminal vehicles.

Inspector Colin Bonner said: “ANPR is a significant weapon in our bid to fight crime and protect the public.

“Using this technology the police across the region are helping to remove serious criminals from the roads, as well as unsafe and uninsured drivers and vehicles.”

In total 303 cars across the region were stopped.