Police are warning motorists that illegally dark tint will be removed from their vehicles during traffic checks as authorities intensify enforcement across Antigua and Barbuda.

Superintendent Elson Quammie, head of the Traffic Department, said the law does not prohibit vehicle tint but requires motorists to comply with the legal 35% standard.

“The law didn’t say no tint. The law specifically said 35%,” Quammie said during the Browne and Browne Show.

He said some vehicle owners comply with the standard when presenting their vehicles for inspection but install darker tint afterward.

Quammie warned that officers would remove tint that does not meet the legal requirement whenever those vehicles are intercepted during traffic operations.

“If you do not have 35%, then once we have a traffic check, we’re going to strip you of those dark tints,” he said.

The senior officer linked the enforcement campaign to the police response to violent crime, noting that heavily tinted vehicles are frequently reported in connection with robberies and other serious offences.

“We cannot allow criminals to use dark tint — heavily dark tint — to commit serious crime,” Quammie said.

He urged compliant motorists not to become upset when stopped, arguing that the checks are necessary to prevent criminals from concealing their identities and activities inside vehicles.

The discussion also raised the possibility of restricting the importation and sale of tint that falls outside the legal standard. However, no formal legislative proposal or implementation date was announced.

Police are encouraging motorists to check their vehicle tint and ensure it complies with the law before encountering a traffic checkpoint.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Motorists Reminded Illegal Vehicle Tint Will Be Removed During Traffic Checks.