Hooning crackdown catches “idiotic behaviour” across south-east Queensland
Richard Dinnen - Queensland Editor |
Police have impounded more than 50 vehicles and issued 2,000 fines during a major police operation cracking down on hoons in the state’s south-east.
Hooning is any anti-social behaviour in a vehicle, including speeding, street racing, and burnouts.
Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus said Queensland Police had been targeting hooning since June.
“Our traffic officers have been working closely with intelligence officers as part of Operation Uniform Elderberry in targeting high-risk areas and drivers across the south-east.
“Police have disrupted various hoon events, seen a vehicle catch fire as a result of hooning, and uncovered dangerous modifications such as one vehicle which had its steering wheel replaced with a computer game steering wheel.
“Our officers have come across illegal hooning activity being shared on social media apps like TikTok and impounded the vehicles of those responsible.
“We also detected 164 drink and drug drivers as part of our anti-hooning crackdown.
“Our message to anyone taking part in high-risk activities on our roads is that we will continue to target you, investigate your dangerous antics, and take action against you.”
Police Minister Mark Ryan said the operation resulted in police impounding 59 vehicles and issuing 2,048 infringement notices.
“Hoons driving dangerously in defective vehicles is a disaster waiting to happen.
“We do not want hoons tearing up our roadways like racetracks and putting themselves and innocent road users at risk for the sake of social media notoriety.
“The idiotic behaviour police have seen throughout this operation is downright disturbing and I commend officers for removing these vehicles from our roads and taking action against those responsible.”
Penalties for hooning-related offences include fines up to $5,338 and jail terms up to six months. Police can also impound or immobilise vehicles.
