Staffordshire Police is teaming up with other constabularies across the country in a bid to stop European criminals from entering the UK to escape arrest.
Co-ordinated by the European Traffic Police Network, Operation Trivium 9 runs from today Monday, October 9 to Friday, October 13.
Officers from the UK, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Lithuania, and Romania will be stopping vehicles and checking drivers' details, with the purpose of making a significant impact on criminals moving freely across Europe.
A European Operations Control Centre, based at Europol headquarters in The Netherlands, will be operating throughout the week, providing officers with real-time information on individuals and vehicles who may be connected with crime.
Participating countries will all have their own control centres where information can be requested and shared.
Inspector Mat Derrick, of Staffordshire Police's tactical support team, said: "Operation Trivium has built a strong international reputation – and it's not about targeting people from particular countries or communities, it's about targeting criminals.
"We will be working on intelligence provided by police forces outside the UK to target those who have committed crimes in other parts of Europe. They have come to the UK hoping to avoid arrest and continue with their criminal activities here, but we are determined to disrupt them.
"Although Operation Trivium is a week of focused activity, it also enables us to get information and leads into other offences we can follow-up in the future. It is a great example of multiple agencies working together for the benefit of communities."
Operation Trivium has grown to provide a consistently effective mechanism for disrupting criminal networks who are active in human trafficking, modern day slavery, illegal immigration and a wide range of other crimes.
Operation Trivium 9 is led by Superintendent Paul Keasey, who said: "We are once again committed to ensuring that borders hold no barriers when it comes to bringing about justice.
"We have a range of effective tactics to ensure that Trivium 9 will make a big contribution to safer, more secure roads, and in particular to protecting the most vulnerable members of society."
