Taxi Driver Online

Missed this article, which is about ten days old.

Well worth a read, though


Glasgow cab driver caught with drugs in car claimed customers left them

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/196 ... mers-left/

A Glasgow cab driver caught with three types drugs in his car has been allowed to keep his licence after he blamed customers for leaving two of them and claimed police target black people.

Mahmoud Abdelgader pleaded guilty to failing to stop at red traffic lights in the city and having cocaine, Etizolam and cannabis in his possession at court on September 3.

Police Scotland had objected to the renewal of his licence and judged he was not a fit and proper person to hold one.

Appearing before Glasgow City Council’s licensing Committee, Abdelgader admitted the cannabis was his, but claimed passengers had left the cocaine and Etizolam.

Mr Abdelgader was allowed to keep his private hire licence for a year with a severe warning after he appeared before the licensing and regulatory committee this week.

The father of four said: “I made a mistake. The police stopped me – I see racial profiling there.”

He told the committee police are “targeting black people” but was told to take the issue up with Police Scotland by convenor Alex Wilson.

Commenting further on the incident when he was stopped on July 26 2020, Mr Abdelgader said: “This happened during corona time in special circumstances.”

He told councillors he had been living in his car at the time after moving out from his house.

The committee heard the quantities of the illegal substances were at personal use amounts – and not dealing levels. Mr Abdelgader, who has been a licensed driver for three years, admitted he was taking cannabis but not the other substances.

Councillor Wilson asked Mr Abdelgader if he only took cannabis why did he have in his possession cocaine and Etizolam?

He replied: “I’m a taxi driver – people throw them there. You find them under the seat. I never took them.”

Councillor Wilson said: “You have admitted driving a vehicle while having taken cannabis. That is an offence.”

Councillor Gary Gray said: “I don’t for a second buy your story that it must have been left in the car by a customer. I take exception that you try to insult this committee’s intelligence on that. You have been found guilty of this issue.”

Mr Abdelgader said: “I’m telling the truth whether you blame me or not.”

Explaining his financial responsibilities he said: “I’m a father of four. I’m the breadwinner. This has happened once and it will never happen again. If you can give me a chance.”

He told the committee he is now back living at home with his wife.

Councillor Wilson said: “You have caused this committee a great deal of concern with the fact you were carrying drugs in your car and admitted to having drugs in your car.”

Councillors decided to grant the licence for a restricted period of one year with a warning issued regarding the applicant’s future conduct. Councillor Elspeth Kerr disagreed.

So he pleaded guilty to going through a red light and possessing all three drugs, yet he was targetted because he's black?

Would be interesting to know how the drugs were found, though. Presumably police searched his car, which presumably isn't routine for failing to stop at a red light 8-]

Was reading the comments, and worth noting that there was no drug driving offence, and he just admitted possession.

Which I suppose is a reasonable cause of confusion, but the likes of this other comment makes you wonder about some people's basic comprehension skills. Some contributors more interested in posting a comment than actually reading the article:

Played the race card and the committee backed off from taking his license . He got a result .

If you have ever seen these traffic police documentaries they can often smell cannabis when the driver winds down the window

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At least one committee member has supported the legalisation of cannabis, so doubt they'd be over-concerned about the possession thing. I wouldn't be surprised if other members thing similarly.

As for playing the race card, could say something about that as well, but maybe better not to