More than 70 cars were seized - and nine people arrested - in Newham by police targeting uninsured drivers.

Officers from co-ordinated Metropolitan Police teams were out in force in a operation to disrupt criminal activity.

It was part of the ninth Operation Cubo, set up in October last year.

Arrests across the capital ranged from vehicle theft to possession with intent to supply heroin, crack and cannabis.

A number of disqualified drivers were also detained during the one-day operation.

Ch Supt Rob Jones, from Newham Police, said: “The ninth Operation Cubo achieved excellent results, with many boroughs, including Newham achieving over 20 seizures.

“All over London, teams worked very hard in the heat, with arrests for a range of offences, including suspected gang suspects in possession of CS spray.

“More than 4,500 vehicles have now been seized on Cubo operations, removing uninsured vehicles from our streets. Cubo is a very visible tactic that deters criminals and reassures law abiding people.”

The Met say uninsured drivers are more likely to be involved in criminal activity, five times more likely to be involved in collisions and less likely to have vehicles in a road-worthy condition.

The total number vehicles seized during Operation Cubo in London is 4547, resulting in 767 arrests.