FIFTEEN panel van drivers found with unregistered seats in their vehicle were issued tickets yesterday during a police exercise in San Fernando.

The three-hour-long exercise was conducted along Todd Street and Gulf City Link Road.

Close to 400 tickets were issued for traffic offences.

Some 310 drivers removed dark tints from their vehicles, while four drivers were found driving without insurance. Another four were found driving the wrong class of vehicle in relation to their driver’s permit.

The crackdown targeting panel van drivers is in response to a growing trend where panel vans are being fitted with seats similar to maxi-taxis and used to transport passengers without the required insurance coverage.

Yesterday’s exercise was spearheaded by Cpl Ramdeen, Sgt Changoor and Licensing Officer Siew Sankar.