Gwent Police Cracks Down on Illegal Car Meets and Dangerous Driving

Gwent Police are taking a firm stance against illegal car meets and dangerous driving, with their operation, “Operation Wheeler,” leading to multiple arrests and convictions.

Between January 2020 and January 2025, Gwent Police received 382 reports of illegal car meets, with 144 of those reports occurring in the last year alone. The police emphasise that these events, which often involve street racing, can have fatal consequences and disrupt the wider community.

Operation Wheeler, which has been in effect since July 2024, has already produced significant results. These include:

• One conviction for causing serious injury by dangerous driving following a collision at a car meet.
• One person under investigation for dangerous driving following a collision in Newport.
• One conviction for fraudulently obtaining an insurance policy by failing to disclose vehicle modifications.
• Two people summonsed to court for failing to identify drivers involved in dangerous driving.
• Three arrests for causing public nuisance and aiding and abetting dangerous driving/motor racing, with all three issued Community Protection Warnings.
• Four arrests for dangerous driving (three charged, one remains under investigation).
• Four further Community Protection Warnings issued relating to organising car meets.
• Eight insurance policies cancelled.
• Eight vehicles seized.
• Ten people charged to court for motor racing on public roads.
• Thirty Section 59 warnings issued (for vehicles used to cause distress, alarm, or annoyance).
• Thirty Traffic Offence Reports issued for Construction and Use offences.
• Sixteen people summonsed to court for failing to identify a driver after Section 172 requests.
• Fifty-two Operation Wheeler warning letters issued to organisers and attendees.

Gwent Police highlight that illegal car meets can attract hundreds of people and vehicles, leading to dangerous parking, road obstructions, and drag-strip style racing with spectators lining the roads. They stress that racing on public highways and dangerous driving have been the cause of many serious and fatal road traffic collisions across the UK.

Officers are working closely with local councils to prevent deaths and serious injuries on Gwent’s roads linked to this behaviour.

RPSO Sergeant Mitchell Harris, the force lead for Operation Wheeler, stated, “Operation Wheeler is about tackling the dangers that can come from illegal car meets and street racing… Illegal car meets are not just a nuisance; they pose serious risks to public safety and community well-being. Our goal is simple – we want to put the brakes on illegal car meets, street racing, and anti-social and dangerous driving.”

Gwent Police urge anyone with information about illegal car meets to report it by calling 101 or sending a direct message on Facebook or X. In an emergency, they advise calling 999.