Two arrests and five vehicle impounds were made after hundreds of cars gathered in Palmerston North on Saturday night.
Police said the actions taken are in relation to Operation Purple, which is focused on "disrupting anti-social road user behaviour in Palmerston North".
Manawatū Area Commander Inspector Ross Grantham said around 400 cars, most with multiple occupants, gathered in and near a car park on Main St from about 10.30pm.
He said police operated a number of checkpoints at the entries and exits of the car park, stopping and speaking to drivers and occupants of every vehicle, which "put a dampener on the evening".
Most cars dispersed by midnight, one of which attempted to flee when signalled to stop.
The two occupants were arrested after police spiked the vehicle, which lost control and crashed into a ditch.
Grantham said the driver of the vehicle has been charged with failing to stop and is due to appear in the Palmerston North District Court on March 16.
Five cars were impounded after leaving the car park and were seen doing burnouts in the Settlers Line/Railway Road area.
Grantham said about 100 infringements were also issued to drivers for "a range of licensing and driving offences and vehicle-related defects".
"We hope this result provides some reassurance to the community that we are working hard to keep our roads safe and free from anti-social road users," he said.
"We will continue to maintain a presence at these types of gatherings and will work hard to disrupt and deter anti-social road user behaviour in our region."
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