Police carried out dozens of checks on lorries at the port of Harwich in a Halloween clampdown.

Working alongside the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, Essex Police officers carried out dozens of checks on lorries at the port on Thursday.

Deputy Chief Con Andy Prophet and Asst Chief Con Andy Mariner attended the operation and found several lorries moving commercial and private vehicles - with all of the cargo recorded and transported legally.

Legal - None of the lorries inspected had broken the lawLegal - None of the lorries inspected had broken the law (Image: Essex Police) Essex Police’s Marine Unit – which was on patrol all week – also visited West Mersea on Thursday to speak to boatyards in the north of the county.

back on the roads, Essex Police stopped 270 drivers to ensure they were following the rules of the road, seizing three uninsured vehicles and reporting another 47 traffic offences.

Inspection - Inspection - Deputy Chief Constable Andy Prophet and Assistant Chief Constable Andy Mariner attended the inspection in Harwich (Image: Essex Police) Supt Phil Stinger said: “Yesterday was a perfect example of proactive policing.

“Our patrolling and partnership working means we can deter criminals and criminality from Essex, bringing down crime rates across the county.

“The approach is already working. We’ve seen a six per cent drop in reports in the 12 months to September 2024 – that’s 9,000 fewer crimes, and that number continues to decline.”