The Queensland Police Service’s (QPS) crackdown on honing activity in South-East Queensland has resulted in more than 50 vehicles impounded and 2,000 fines issued.
Minister for Police, Mark Ryan said the QPS had been targeting hooning behaviour as part of Operation Uniform Elderberry since June.
“Hoons driving dangerously in defective vehicles are disasters waiting to happen,” Mr Ryan said.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus of the Road Policing and Regional Support Command said the operation had produced significant results.
“Our traffic officers have been working closely with intelligence officers as part of Operation Uniform Elderberry in targeting high-risk areas and drivers,” Assistant Commissioner Marcus said.
“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.”
He said officers came 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,” Assistant Commissioner Marcus said.
“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.”
Mr Ryan said tough anti-hoon laws had assisted police with apprehending and prosecuting offenders.
“Under these laws, a registered owner of a car must prove they were not driving the vehicle at the time of the offence or else they will face the consequences,” Mr Ryan said.
“Along with some of the toughest penalties in the nation, this significant legal advantage for the QPS sets Queensland apart from other Australian jurisdictions.”
