Stop-and-search tactics have been used on vehicles throughout Bradford as part of a major crackdown on fly-tipping.

Police and community support officers in Bradford South Neighbourhood Policing Team, east and west neighbourhoods, joined officers from Bradford Council, Environmental Services, including the Dog Warden Service, HM Customs & Revenue, the Vehicle & Operator Services Agency and DVLA as part of yesterday's Operation Skippet.

Officers were targeting white-van men' and drivers of pick-up trucks to make sure they were not carrying illegal or dangerous waste or dumping rubbish illegally.

Bradford is among the worst areas in the country for flytipping, much of which is carried out by conmen operating bogus waste-clearance businesses.

A licence to carry waste costs £144 and lasts for three years, failure to have one results in a £300 fixed penalty.

A series of roadside checks saw police officers pulling over vehicles in the area around Bierley, Wyke, Buttershaw and Oakenshaw then directing them into the car park at the old Odsal Police Station - itself a victim of flytipping which had to be tidied up before it could be used as a checking yard.

Once there drivers were asked to supply relevant documents, including where the waste was to be deposited and licences for the removal and carrying of waste.

In Operation Skippet's first half hour, officers had already pulled a suspect van whose driver was handed a £300 penalty notice for having no waste carrier's licence - and more were to follow.

Multi-agency officers were also checking for use of illegal road fuel, outstanding fines, warrants and lapsed community charge payments.

In total, 35 vehicles were stopped and brought to the designated area, which meant 59 people overall were checked through the system.

Out of the 35 vehicles, 33 were checked for red diesel, outstanding fine warrants and community charges.

They found 143 outstanding warrants and each one was paid on the spot. The police handed out 11 fixed penalty notices from various traffic checked offences.

One person was also reported for a summons to attend court.

Two people were given Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme tickets and the Dog Warden Services dealt with nine complaints of nuisance or stray dogs, with one dog impounded.

The environmental services handed out nine fixed penalty notices, which amounted to £2,700. One person was arrested in relation to criminal damage and was dealt with on the day.

Chief Inspector Jason Galvin of Bradford South Police, said the kind of people who fly-tip are people who can't be bothered sticking to rules and regulations like most law-abiding citizens.

More stop-and-searches are being planned before the end of the year, including three days of action next month.