You Won't Believe: How Many Cars Have Been Confiscated from Drunk Latvians Since the Start of the Campaign 0 5

For three years now, Latvia has had a Criminal Code that allows for the confiscation of a vehicle from a driver whose blood alcohol content exceeds 1.5 permille, as well as from those who refuse to undergo a test for intoxicating substances in their body.

According to sad statistics, during this time, more than 2000 Latvian motorists have parted with their cars. The most confiscated brands include BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, and Volvo. Mostly, these are passenger cars manufactured between 2005 and 2008.

Some of the cars confiscated by the state are sent directly to Ukraine (with the help of non-governmental organizations, a total of 324 cars have already been dispatched there). Some are sold through auctions. Notably, as the State Security Agency points out, every tenth car is a luxury class. The most expensive car sold at auction was a Ferrari for 176,000 euros.

Overall, the police are satisfied with the amendments to the Criminal Code. According to law enforcement, the confiscation mechanism has played a positive role and provided a preventive effect. For comparison, if 664 cars were confiscated in the first ten months of last year, this year, during the same period, 547 cars have been confiscated. At the same time, as the police note, the profile of offenders has not changed. Predominantly, drunk drivers are men aged 30 to 50, and in many cases, driving is related to their main job.