Lamborghinis were among the luxury vehicles seized by police. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau
Lamborghinis were among the luxury vehicles seized by police. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau
Lamborghinis were among the luxury vehicles seized by police. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau
Lamborghinis were among the luxury vehicles seized by police. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau

Matching purple Lamborghinis among 70 uninsured supercars confiscated in London


Tariq Tahir
  • English
  • Arabic

Supercars worth £7 million ($9.4 million), including a pair of identical purple Lamborghinis, have been confiscated by police in London in a crackdown on uninsured vehicles.

The operation was in response to antisocial and dangerous driving across the upmarket Hyde Park, Kensington and Chelsea areas of the city which are popular with visitors from the Middle East.

The cars were seized from owners who shipped their cars to Britain without proper insurance cover or mistakenly relied on policies taken out in their home countries.

One of the drivers of the Lamborghinis had been in the country for just two hours and had only been driving for 15 minutes before the car was seized.

One of the cars appears to have been driven from Kuwait. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau
One of the cars appears to have been driven from Kuwait. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau

In total 72 cars, including Ferraris and Porches, were seized by the Met Police, who used Automatic Number Plate Recognition to identify them as uninsured by checking on a database run by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).

The force said the operation began in response to local residents' complaints about antisocial and dangerous driving by uninsured cars, a regular feature in central London’s streets.

The nationalities of the cars’ owners has not been revealed but one of the vehicles has “London, Paris, Kuwait” written on the bonnet, along with what appears to be the route of how the car made it to Britain.

Special Chief Officer James Deller, who took part in the operation, said: “This operation was set up to respond to resident, business and visitors’ concerns about high-value vehicles causing a nuisance in known hotspot areas in central and west London.”

The cars seized also included Ferraris. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau
The cars seized also included Ferraris. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau

Police also found people wanted for actual bodily harm and criminal damage, drug offences, vehicle theft, immigration offences and holding fraudulent insurance policies.

Several tickets were issued for a range of offences, including driving without a valid licence; using a mobile phone while driving; lack of a valid MOT; illegally tinted windows; not wearing a seat belt; and operating vehicles in a dangerous condition.

The enforcement was backed by the MIB, an industry body that campaigns against uninsured driving. Its staff worked alongside the police. These offences often overlap with wider criminal activity including drug running, drink-driving, speeding and money laundering.

One of the cars being taken away by the police. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau
One of the cars being taken away by the police. Photo: Motor Insurers’ Bureau

“While many offenders knowingly broke the law, others fell victim to simple mistakes such as bounced payments, failed renewals or incorrect details,” said Martin Saunders, head of uninsured driving prevention at the MIB.

“These rules apply to all motorists, regardless of the value of vehicle they choose to drive.”

Last year, police in London confiscated 60 supercars in a clampdown on antisocial behaviour on London's roads.

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Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.

 
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Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
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