There is no doubt that there are highly-organised criminal gangs and individuals plying their trade in this area – a trade which depends on them moving drugs, money, stolen goods and themselves from place to place.

So what would happen if the police targeted any villains using the region’s road network – surely that would have a major impact on these unsavoury characters and their evil enterprises?

The answer to that would seem to be a resounding yes.

In July of 2008 the Yorkshire and Humber Region Roads Policing Team was set up with the aim of stopping offenders using the area’s roads and zig-zagging across force boundaries to commit crimes.

Today we reveal that this team has seized more than £5 million of assets from criminals.

Nearly £1 million-worth of drugs and around £1.5 million-worth of stolen cars were recovered and the team also arrested almost 700 people in that time.

There is no doubt that advances in technology – such as better number plate recognition systems – will have made their task easier but there has obviously been some excellent police work too which must not be overlooked.

This sounds like just the sort of operation the public wants to see more of, with officers taking the fight to the criminals.

The fact that it may also have benefits in terms of value for money is an added bonus.