Police and the DVLA have run the operation for three weeks

Gwent Police and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) have been working together against people who do not pay to keep their cars on the road.

Sergeant Huw Jones said the vehicles had been taken to compounds across the force area in the three-week campaign.

A DVLA spokesman said the impounded vehicles could be destroyed.

Hadyn Maddock, the DVLA's head of crime reduction, said: "The message is to ensure that these people out there who are untaxed at the present time tax their vehicle or else they will be detected, their vehicle clamped, impounded and if necessary, disposed of."

Cars have been towed away and could be destroyed

He said vehicles were either spotted on the side of the road or by using automated number plate registration systems.

"The vehicles that are detected, we check to ensure the vehicles are untaxed and, if necessary, those are towed away at that moment," he said.

"If the vehicle is not properly registered or licensed after that, and the necessary fees paid, then those vehicles are disposed of."

Mr Maddock said it was not just a question about money.

"The vast majority of vehicles will be uninsured and unroadworthy, and there is evidence from the police that many are involved in criminal activity as well."

Sergeant Lewis added that untaxed, unlicensed and uninsured vehicles were used by disqualified drivers.