Taxi Driver Online

September 5, 2007 Wednesday

Drugs raid cabs taken off roads

Bradford Telegraph And Argus

Council bosses have suspended the operations of a minicab firm after the licence owner was arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs and handling stolen property.

Shahid Saleem, 30, who is the licence owner of Arrows private hire firm in Lord Street, Keighley, had the licence suspended following his arrest in a police raid at his Keighley home.

Drivers who work for the firm have also had their licences suspended by Bradford Council licensing officers pending the outcome of the police investigation.

Mr Saleem, who has not been found guilty of any offence, originally lodged an appeal against suspension of his licence, but withdrew it at a hearing at Bingley Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Today a Council spokesman said: "We suspended the licence owner of Arrows Private Hire following his arrest on suspicion of handling stolen property and possessing potential Class A drugs.

"The following week, when the police accompanied Bradford Council's Hackney Carriage officers to close down the private hire base in Lord Street, Keighley, a 33-year-old private hire driver was arrested for assaulting two police officers."

One of the firm's drivers, who would not be named, said there was anger among the drivers about their loss of work.

He said: "There are now drivers who are out of work because of this.

"The officers took all of our plates off us, telling us the firm's licence had been suspended.

"They are expecting to get it back this week, but I don't think I will be working for them soon.

"We have already lost four or five days work and so I don't think I will be able to keep this up much longer."

When the Telegraph & Argus contacted the Arrows office, a man offered a different explanation for the company's vehicles being taken off the road.

He said: "I'm afraid we have not got any licences at all. We forgot to renew it.

"But we should have it back either tomorrow or the day after that. At the moment we have no drivers working."

A Council spokesman said the drivers would only be able to get their licences back immediately if they started working for a different company.

He said: "The Arrows Private Hire drivers also had their licences suspended because it is a condition of their licence that they work for a specific private hire base.

"If they go and work for another company they will get their licences back."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police confirmed officers had carried out a raid at an address in the Showfield area of Keighley.

He said: "They recovered a quantity of what is believed to be Class A drugs and other controlled substances and items believed to be stolen property.

"A 30-year-old Keighley man was arrested and has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

"Last Friday, West Yorkshire Police officers went to a business premises in Lord Street to support Bradford Council officers from the Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Licensing Department.

"There was an incident while the officers were there and a 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of two offences of assault on a PC and section 5 public order.

"He has since been released on police bail pending further inquiries."

Councillor Arshad Hussain, chairman of the Council's Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Panel, said the Council had considered it appropriate to suspend Mr Saleem pending the outcome of the police investigation.

Mr Saleem's solicitor was unavailable for comment last night.
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Clearly the mush and the firm are a bit iffy, but I can't see how the council can refuse to license the vehicles and drivers that worked with the firm.

Having a place on another circuit is not a reasonable condition, in fact it's plain daft.

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IDFIMH

it would seem the operation is back on again.
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September 5, 2007 Wednesday

Cab firm is back on the road

Bradford Telegraph And Argus

A minicab firm taken off the road by Bradford Council is back in business after a new proprietor's licence was issued today.

Shahid Saleem, 30, the former licence owner of Arrows Private Hire in Lord Street, Keighley, had his licence suspended after he was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen property and possessing suspected Class A drugs.

Mr Saleem initially appealed against the suspension but has now surrendered the licence.

A Council spokesman said: "Mr Saleem has withdrawn his appeal and surrendered his suspended licence which has allowed us to issue another proprietor's licence to a Mr Sajid Rashid.

"Mr Rashid already had a private hire driver's licence and could immediately produce the necessary documentation. He can therefore run Arrows Private Hire with immediate effect."

Mr Saleem, who was arrested after a police raid at his Keighley home, has been released on police bail pending further inquiries. He said: "My job is to prove my innocence and I will."
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