Two vehicles have been impounded as their drivers face charges of illegal street racing after search warrants were executed in Southland last week.
Police descended simultaneously on addresses in Tuatapere and Winton on Friday in relation to an incident that occurred in November last year.
A report was received at around 6.50pm on November 5 of a vehicle crashed into a paddock outside Tuatapere after it failed to make a turn on Grove Burn Rd while participating in alleged anti-social road behaviour.
“The vehicles were believed to have been travelling around three times the posted 50km/h speed limit before the crash,” a police spokesperson said.
Two men aged 18 and 19 were spoken to following the search warrants and would appear in Invercargill District Court on February 18 charged with illegal street racing. Police said further charges were likely.
“Police are committed to holding illegal street racers to account as we know the impact this activity has on the community,” the spokesperson added.
“Not only does it keep residents awake and damage the roads, but it places drivers, passengers, bystanders, and other motorists at extreme risk.”
Anyone who witnessed unlawful activity was asked to report it to police with “as much information as you can safely gather”.
