Media Releases

15 November 2006

Fines offenders arrested and vehicles seized in Greymouth crackdown

A strong warning was sent to people with outstanding fines during an NZ Police crackdown involving the Collections Unit of the Ministry of Justice at Greymouth last week (10/11 November).

The crackdown resulted in four arrests of fines offenders, and six vehicles seized for people randomly checked and found to be owing fines.

During the two day crackdown, Collections Unit staff made 123 checks on people and vehicles and found that 110 had outstanding fines. Many fines offenders were found to have time payment arrangements in place.

Of the 110 people with outstanding fines, 11 were enforced, as the offenders had either breached time payment arrangements, or had not made arrangements to pay after the 28 day statutory period had expired.

NZ Police arrested four of the 11, and a Collections Unit baliff seized vehicles belonging to six of the 11. One defendant in this group paid in full when presented with a warrant of (vehicle) seizure. The total amount of the warrants executed was $68,070.

The Collections Unit considered the weekend was a complete success in driving home the point that fines don't go away, and people will have to pay them.

For further information please contact

Sarah Morton, Communications & Marketing Manager, Collections Unit
Tel 04 978 7031