MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Over five dozen arrests were made Friday after ATV and dirt bike riders illegally swarmed South Florida roadways ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, authorities said.
Miami-Dade Police Detective Andre Martin said the operation was established to address the unlawful use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), motorcycles, and dirt bikes.
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Authorities said they were able to intercept numerous individuals riding their vehicles illegally on county roadways.
Detectives from MDPD’s Homeland Security Bureau along with officers from MDPD’s Priority Response Team, Motors Unit, and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) “conducted a takedown of numerous violators engaged in participating or spectating in intersection takeovers in a location near Miami International Airport,” Martin said in a news release Saturday.
According to Martin, investigators yielded the following results:
· 61 arrests
· 5 firearms impounded
· 363 citations issued
· 21 vehicles impounded
· 7 stolen vehicles recovered
Martin credited his officers and other local law enforcement partners for their efforts during the investigation.
“We will continue to have zero tolerance for anyone breaking traffic laws and being reckless in our county,” Martin said in a news release Saturday.
With many riders back on the road this weekend ahead of the annual “Wheels up, Guns Down” event, MDPD said police units, along with local and state partners have been and will continue to patrol areas in an effort to deter the riders and/or detain offenders.
The department added that safety remains the top priority and units will engage anyone who commits an infraction and can be taken into custody without jeopardizing the well-being of other motorists and pedestrians.
Anyone with information regarding the illegal street takeovers is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.