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Raid on illegal minicabs ends in 25 arrests
Justin Davenport, Crime Correspondent23 Feb 2009
THE shocking scale of illegal mini-cab activity in the West End was revealed in a police operation at the weekend.
Police checks found 28 cabs being driven without a private hire licence, nine of which were unroadworthy.
A total of 25 drivers were arrested, nearly all of them of illegal cabs. Five were held for illegal touting for business and others were arrested for drink driving, immigration offences and assault.
More than 100 police, community support officers and traffic wardens descended on the West End in the early hours of Saturday and yesterday in a high-visibility operation to crack down on the illegal cab trade.
Officers checked a total of 250 vehicles focusing on touting "hotspots" such as Haymarket and Strand.
The operation - organised by Transport for London and the Met - also included roadside safety checks on vehicles.
Nine cars were seized because they were unroadworthy for a variety of reasons including suspect brakes and no suspension. One source said: "Essentially some of these drivers are using junk cars. These illegal mini-cab operators are a danger, they are using unroadworthy vehicles and they are undermining the licensed cab trade."
Some drivers are also believed to be using illegal cabs to carry out sex attacks on women passengers.
Police say the arrests were made even though the high-visibility operation was designed more to deter touts.
Inspector David Brown said: "This operation was extremely successful. The cab enforcement unit made its presence felt and I believe we sent out a message that if you commit these offences you will be arrested and prosecuted."
Mayor Boris Johnson ordered a crackdown on illegal mini-cab touting after his election last year.
He doubled the number of dedicated cab enforcement officers to 68 and launched a "one-strike" rule which meant that any licensed driver convicted of touting would immediately have his or her licence revoked.
He said today: "The safety and security of people travelling around London is a top priority, and during the election I promised to crack down on the illegal touts that put the lives of Londoners and visitors in danger.
"I want everyone to be able to enjoy a good night out without being preyed upon by these illegal touts Not only can they be dangerous individuals, but their cars can also be uninsured death-traps. We are doing all we can to stop them, and partygoers can make themselves safer by using our fantastic Cabwise text service, which quickly provides the numbers for safe licensed taxi and minicab companies in the area."
The operation came after hundreds of black cabs blockaded streets in the West End this month in protest at a council plan to allow mini-cabs to use a bus stop as a cab rank in the evenings.
Reader views (15)
i have repeadly gived the pco and met police car registration numbers of illegal minicab drivers in croydon london but almost 6 months later they are still operating. the pco and police just do not care.
- Mohammed, croydon london uk, 02/08/2009 06:27
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What Paul from Sydney, Autralia is overlooking in his comment is that London's black taxi fares are set by the Mayor of London. Licensed black taxi drivers have no control over their meter fares and every single taxi's meter is calibrated exactly the same. The same journey in any taxi would result in an identical meter fare providing the traffic situation was the same.
- Mike Coleman, London, 24/02/2009 12:15
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Anyone who lives in or around London could tell you all sorts of stories about the dodgy mini cab drivers they encounter any time they call a mini cab.
- Ed, Hants, 24/02/2009 11:24
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Here is a novel idea, instead of these high visibility p.r. exercises after which the status quo is resumed, how about enforcing the law on a daily/nightly basis.
- Les, Lonndon, 24/02/2009 08:40
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David in London, you seem to be overlooking the fact that the taxi/cab situation in London is a joke! Not enough cabs, those that are available are a complete rip off. Get rid of black cabs and introduce more company owned, affordable cabs like in New York or Rio. The jokers driving cabs in London at present are ripping people off and the mayors office is clearly in cahoots. London is a joke - so glad I've emigrated.
- Paul, Sydney, Australia, 24/02/2009 06:08
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Who is shocked by this? Certainly nobody living in London.
- Casper Slides, France at the moment
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Casper Slides, sadly you are right!
GERONIMO
- Geronimo, LONDON MIDDLESEX, 24/02/2009 01:00
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The LEGAL minicabs are just as much of a problem picking up off the streets. People should be aware that if the journey has not been booked through an office, the driver is driving uninsured. The drivers of one of London's biggest and best minicab firms are one of the worst for this (without the company's knowledge,I might add). Using the company's logo to give an air of respectability. This is illegal and should be stopped.
- Ted, London, 23/02/2009 15:14
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I suppose these cabs are uninsured, unsafe and run by illegal immigrants.
- Michael Waugh, South Kensington, 23/02/2009 14:52
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And the traffic wardens chat to them, and don't ticket any of them.
The police don't check any of them that I see, as they don't seem to care.
The enforcemnet of law in this country is beyond a joke.
- P I Staker, London, 23/02/2009 14:09
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"Police say the arrests were made even though the high-visibility operation was designed more to deter touts."
Laughable. I bet the old bill were upset at having to arrest criminals.
- Ivor Bill, london, 23/02/2009 14:06
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I left a club in the west end a few weeks ago, the driver was in a car which was in a line of cars outside the club. He took me and a friend home, he charged us £15 more than we agreed on, and said if we did not pay, he would rape us.
Why are these men allowed to wait outside the clubs. I thought they were legal.
never again
- Linda Cousins, london, 23/02/2009 14:03
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It's lunnun innit ! every 'tom dick or harry' can get away with it, no checks because it isn't PC, police always on the back foot. Wait until 2012 then the action will kick in big time. Please warn potential tourists about the 'hell hole' they plan on visiting.
- Nick Holland, glasgow, 23/02/2009 11:59
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In the Court case in which I was on jury service last year, we heard a case of kiddnapping and rape by a illegal cab driver in the city, who seemed to have support from a cab office( Drivers Badge etc) The outcome! he was given seven/eight years the victim tramatised, still after 4 years (he was charged A FEW YEARS LATER after his DNA was taken on a unrealated charge (possible illegal minicabibg again)
Did he go to prison? no let out on bail to abscound before sentencing, maybe still out there waiting for more victims to get into his car/cab. BE AWARE.
- Dec, London, 23/02/2009 11:30
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I've noticed extremely aggressive touting by illegal cabs when I've been out late at night. The trouble is, there still seem to be enough gullible and/or drunken people prepared to take a chance.
- David, London, UK, 23/02/2009 10:49
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Who is shocked by this? Certainly nobody living in London.
- Casper Slides, France at the moment, 23/02/2009 10:02
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