A TEN-day crackdown on vehicle registration tax (VRT) evasion has resulted in the seizure of 140 vehicles as well as motorists being slapped with fines and penalties amounting to almost €500,000, reports the Irish Times.

Officers from the Revenue's Customs Service carried out a State-wide VRT compliance operation, based in part on information gleaned from a "name and shame" campaign by SIMI, late last year. The 10-day operation utilised the Revenue's own intelligence sources as well as details provided by SIMI, which included names, addresses and car registrations of Irish residents who had been seen driving UK and N.I. registered vehicles in the Republic.

According to the Revenue, some 2,391 vehicles were challenged, with 140 vehicles being seized and follow-up inquiries initiated in relation to a further 384. Fines amounting to €360,535 in VRT and penalties of €103,698 were imposed. The follow-up enquiries also resulted in 107 vehicles being registered, with additional taxes being paid.....A spokesman for the Revenue told The Irish Times the vast majority - almost 82% of vehicles challenged - had been registered in the UK. Just under half of the Revenue effort was concentrated in the Irish border counties, with 11% of the crackdown-taking place in Dublin. The report continues and outlines the Irish VRT policy and penalties for non-compliance.

Irish Times