The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (Zinara) and the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) have launched an operation targeting unroadworthy and unlicensed vehicles.

Vehicles with defects and not licensed will be impounded and subjected to strict vetting to check if they were not used for any criminal activities.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said: “People should register their vehicles and license them to avoid any inconveniences on the road.”

He also encouraged motorists to change ownership when they sell their vehicles as some people are buying them to use for criminal purposes.

“When our detectives are doing investigations they track some vehicles to seven or more people, all claiming to have sold the car hence as police we have decided to launch this kind of an operation that involves all the arms of the transport sector.”

The crackdown on unregistered vehicles comes in the wake of a series of armed robberies and muggings countrywide during which criminals use the vehicles to commit crimes.

Recently money changers in Chitungwiza were robbed of cash by suspects who were using vehicles without number plates.