<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victoria Police have initiated a crackdown on illegal car meets and defective vehicles in the Dandenong area, resulting in substantial fines being issued.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The operation follows a recent surge in unauthorised gatherings of modified vehicles.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If you attend these events, you will be spoken to by police," Acting Senior Sergeant Shaun Tolliday said.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/betrayal-soccer-players-convicted-over-betting-fraud/d7d66936-0400-4ecb-846b-4ed6c7051ba9"><strong><span>Former A-League player convicted over betting fraud</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span></span></strong><span>"These hoon events are extremely dangerous and extremely concerning to us."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tolliday said the aim was to prevent tragedies, "so police don't have to knock on their family's door and inform their loved ones and relatives that they're not coming home".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The police operation has involved the issuing of more than 160 letters to individuals suspected of owning defective vehicles or participating in illegal car meets across the south-east region and along Chapel Street.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/police-crackdown-hoons-dandenong/a11121e5-2120-4ee9-9fd4-185e227768a4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One driver, whose vehicle was deemed unsafe and subsequently towed, lamented the situation, saying it was "gonna cost me time and money".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ryan-cho-doctor-accused-of-toilet-filming-wins-fresh-bail-bid/c22f244b-0b10-4b7c-8c4a-592e62729784"><strong><span>Doctor accused of secretly filming hundreds of hospital staff wins fresh bail bid</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think it's pointless, I think it's unfair on people that are car enthusiasts but that's just me," they said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A probationary driver intercepted near one of the gatherings said "we were gonna get kebabs" and another said "we just saw a group of cars, decided to follow them spinning around in circles and we thought this is no good and jetted off".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"No zoom zooms for me," they said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Another driver claimed his vehicle may have been "in the wrong place at the wrong time", stating, "the kids sometimes drive it, my ex sometimes drives it, and it's been caught somewhere it should be, apparently".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The police operation aims "to take dangerous vehicles off the road and keep motorists safe amid our skyrocketing road toll".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>This article was produced with the assistance of </span></em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/technology/9express/16480c33-636a-461f-9c4f-d0e2522c722a"><em><span>9ExPress</span></em></a><em><span>.</span></em></div></div>