Police seize 70 supercars worth almost £7m in massive London 'antisocial' crackdown

In a massive police operation over the weekend, more than 70 high-end vehicles worth nearly £7million were seized, including two identical purple Lamborghinis.

The Metropolitan Police collaborated with the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) to impound these luxury cars in London as part of a crackdown on anti-social and dangerous driving. The haul included an impressive collection of Ferraris, Porsches and Mercedes-Benzes from Hyde Park, Kensington and Chelsea. The news comes just days after police arrested 466 Palestine Action protestors who ignored the nationwide ban on membership.

According to the MIB, the uninsured Lamborghinis had been air-freighted into Britain for their owner's summer holiday. One of the drivers had only been in the country for two hours and behind the wheel for a mere 15 minutes before his car was confiscated.

The MIB further revealed that several of the seized vehicles had been imported from overseas, with drivers relying on insurance from their home countries without confirming its validity in the UK.

This operation resulted not only in the seizure of 72 vehicles, many of which were either uninsured or inadequately covered, but also uncovered a variety of other criminal activities. These included individuals wanted for actual bodily harm and criminal damage, drug offences, stolen vehicles, immigration offences and fraudulent insurance policies, known as 'ghost broking'.

Multiple penalties were handed out for various infractions, including driving without proper documentation, mobile phone use behind the wheel, absence of current MOT certification, illegally darkened windows, seatbelt violations, and operating unsafe vehicles.

Police also spotted drivers who had committed seemingly harmless oversights, such as informing DVLA about personalised registration plates whilst neglecting to update their insurance companies.

The initiative offered motorists a chance to correct their mistakes while highlighting police awareness of such matters.

Seventy-five constables from the Met's Special Constabulary and Vehicle Enforcement Team participated, employing various techniques to detect uninsured motorists.

Special Chief Officer James Deller from the Metropolitan Police, who was present during the operation, stated: "The Met is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour.

"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.

"Already the Met has reduced neighbourhood crime by 19 per cent compared to the same time last year and we're addressing anti-social behaviour caused by uninsured drivers.

"This has been a great opportunity to work with the Motor Insurers' Bureau and for officers to speak with members of the public about the work we do, educate drivers and enforce the law.

"We've had some real success – thank you to Special Constable colleagues who volunteer their time to help drive down crime across London."

Martin Saunders, Head of Uninsured Driving Prevention at MIB, emphasised the dual objectives of enforcement and awareness: "We urge all motorists to check their insurance policy is in place, is appropriate for their needs and to reach out to their insurer if they are unsure on any part of their policy.

"While many offenders knowingly violated the law, others fell victim to simple mistakes such as bounced payments, failed renewals or incorrect details. With growing concern over seasonal hotspots and tourist-linked offences, the Met and MIB plan to continue enforcement and education efforts throughout the year. We don't want any driver to become uninsured in the first place.

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