that a new drive is being launched to catch them.

Senior officers yesterday unveiled a fresh campaign aimed at putting the skids under drivers who fail to pay tax on their cars and bikes.

Chief Insp. Roger Kendall said new laws came into effect earlier this month allowing Police to issue fixed penalty notices to any driver with an unlicensed vehicle.

And he said fines had been increased to punish offenders.

Chief Insp. Kendall said all officers on patrol would now go on the lookout for licence dodgers.

He added: "Until January 10 this year, it was only an offence to drive a vehicle which was unlicensed.

"Now it is an offence to keep a vehicle which is unlicensed.'' He said the new laws -- passed as amendments to the Road Traffic Act -- would allow Police to punish drivers for parking unlicensed cars in public.

Chief Insp. Kendall added that Police would now patrol roads, car parks and beach areas in a hunt for unlicensed vehicles.

He added: "We started this campaign after traffic wardens in Hamilton told us they estimated ten percent of cars had no valid licences.

"That means that literally hundreds of drivers are flouting the law. It's going to become very expensive for motorists if they continue to do this because in most cases, those cars are also uninsured.'' He said fines for dodging annual licences had been increased to $250 for bike riders and $750 for car drivers.

The old penalty was $100.

Chief Insp. Kendall said: "First we will hand out the fixed penalties, but if further inquiries reveal the vehicle is uninsured, it will be a double whammy.

"And every time the vehicle is seen to be unlicensed, the same punishment will be handed out.

"All uniformed branches will be on the lookout for this now and there will be additional traffic patrols.

"My advice to people is to make sure their vehicles are licensed -- now.''