Two heavy vehicles were seized at Throckmorton Industrial Park in Worcestershire on Thursday 19 March 2026 during an Environment Agency-led operation into suspected waste crime, supported by West Mercia Police’s Evesham Rural Safer Neighbourhood team and DVSA. Officers impounded a large construction vehicle and an HGV as part of a wider drive to disrupt illegal dumping. (gov.uk)

The local move landed the same week ministers and the Environment Agency set out a tougher national plan to hit waste criminals and back councils who step in to clear blighted sites. (gov.uk)

An Environment Agency spokesperson said the action shows a commitment to “stay one step ahead of waste criminals”, urging residents to report suspected activity on 0800 80 70 60 or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. (gov.uk)

West Mercia Police Safer Neighbourhood Inspector Dave Wise called it a “coordinated partnership approach”, noting the Agency’s powers to seize vehicles and machinery suspected of being used in offending, with police enabling action where it hits hardest. (gov.uk)

Nationally, the Waste Crime Action Plan-published on 19 March and updated on 20 March-promises new police‑style powers for regulators, penalty points on driving licences for serious fly‑tipping and ‘clean‑up squads’ for offenders, plus a £45 million enforcement boost over three years and a new intelligence unit. (gov.uk)

For the North, the plan names sites in Wigan and Sheffield, alongside work in Lancashire, for direct government‑funded clearance-together accounting for around 48,000 tonnes of dumped waste. A Landfill Tax rebate is also proposed so charges don’t block clean‑ups by cash‑strapped councils. (gov.uk)

Behind the headlines, the Environment Agency says it stopped illegal activity at 743 waste sites in 2024/25, including 84 in the West Midlands-evidence of sustained pressure on operators in and around Worcestershire and across the wider region. (gov.uk)

Earlier in the month the Agency served a restriction notice at Blackpole Recycling in Worcester, blocking access with concrete after inspections found fresh waste despite a suspension-an example of earlier, firmer use of powers now being encouraged in the Agency’s 10‑Point Plan. (gov.uk)

Investigations can be lengthy to build cases that stand up in court, but the emphasis is shifting to quicker disruption while prosecutions are prepared. For businesses and carriers across the North, the message is clear: keep paperwork tight, check waste carrier registrations and expect DVSA checks. Suspected activity can be reported via the hotline or Crimestoppers. (gov.uk)