Illegal minicab drivers sentenced for fraud
Two men who forged Transport for London (TfL) private hire licences to illegally operate as minicab drivers have been convicted of fraud and sentenced following Roads and Transport Policing Command investigations.
Masood Sheikh, 60 [31.10.54] of Millfield Avenue, Waltham Forest was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, 15 May after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud.
Hichem Hamilaoui, 44 [31.10.70] of Redcliffe Gardens, Redbridge was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, which has been suspended for two years, at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, 15 May after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud.
Both will now be subject to separate financial investigations by the MPS under the proceeds of crime act.
Both Sheikh and Hamilaoui were arrested after TfL compliance officers visited their operator and, while inspecting their records, identified that they were operating as minicab drivers, even though their private hire licences had been revoked. Inspection of their paper licences showed that they were forged and have been used to fraudulently gain employment with cab companies.
The compliance officers then contacted the Police who attended and arrested the drivers.
Inspector Tracy Allison, Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “This is an excellent result which has seen two fraudsters receive robust judicial outcomes.
“The partnership between the MPS and Tfl has a primary aim to safeguard the public from criminals on the transport network and we will continue to crack down on illegal and unsafe minicabs and encourage people to report illegal activity to us as we always act on this intelligence.”
Garrett Emmerson, Chief Operating Officer for Surface Transport at TfL, said: “This is a great result and shows the length and determination the Police and our compliance officers will go to ensure that all private hire drivers in London are fully licenced. Our compliance officers are out and about in London every day and night working to regulate the trade. This conviction should hopefully send a message to anyone else thinking that they will get away with this sort of activity that we will find you and work with the Police to push for the strongest sentences to stop it happening again.”
Licensed and law abiding taxi and minicab drivers often have information on touting, fraudulent taxi drivers and other cab-related offences across London. Such information is valuable in helping the MPS and TfL tackle the problem, so if you have information on illegal activity, please use TfL’s reporting form:https://www.tfl.gov.uk/forms/12368.aspx.
TfL’s Taxi and Private Hire Compliance Officers work closely with TfL funded Cab Enforcement Officers in the MPS and City of London Police. They undertake joint operations on a regular basis informed by the latest intelligence on cab-related offending including cab-related sexual offences, touting and unlawful plying for hire. They also cooperate with clubs to crackdown on the touts who operate in the area and ensure compliance with regulations and importantly enhance the safety of the travelling public.
TfL has developed an online reporting tool for the taxis and PHV trades to report intelligence on touting, illegal plying for hire and other non-compliance. This is used to inform police and TPH staff deployments. If you see someone touting illegally, you can tweet using the hashtag #TfLtoutreport.
Officers are out in London every evening and across the weekends. Plain clothes patrols are complemented with regular large scale operations such as Operation Safer Travel at Night (STAN) which coincides with the main bursts of STAN marketing activity.
TfL introduced a “one strike and you’re out” policy for any licensed minicab driver convicted of or cautioned for touting in August 2008 – they lose their PHV licence for one year. To date, more than 1,229 licensed drivers have had their licences revoked.
source:
http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/metpoliceu ... e=sendgrid
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