Traffic police in Erbil have impounded 52 vehicles and confiscated the license and registration documents of 140 motorists for continuing to drive during the city’s coronavirus lockdown, officials said Monday.
“After violation of the lockdown by some drivers tonight, the joint patrols of traffic police, Asayesh, Zerevani [Peshmerga forces] and Erbil police were able to confiscate 52 vehicles and the documents of 140 others,” read the statement shared by Fadhl Hajee, spokesman for the traffic police directorate.
It urged the public to adhere to the lockdown to avoid being fined.
Sulaimani traffic police meanwhile said officers had impounded 20 vehicles and confiscated 2,015 licenses and vehicles registration documents over the past three days.
The Kurdistan Regional Government interior ministry has imposed a two day lockdown in the cities of Erbil and Sulaimani, which was then extended for another three days.
Officials may extend the lockdown again after it expires on Wednesday.
Road blocks have been established across the cities to enforce a traffic suspension imposed to delay the spread of coronavirus.
Some motorists are exempt from the ban in cases of emergency or if they are providing essential services.
