The London supercar scene needs no introduction as it’s probably the most spectacular in the world, with billionaires regularly flying in their supercars and hypercars from overseas to drive them in the city’s high-end areas alongside other wealthy enthusiasts and their million-dollar toys.
But sometimes things don’t go as planned, and the past weekend was one of those times. London’s Metropolitan Police, supported by Motor Insurers’ Bureau, seized more than £8 million ($10.8 million) worth of vehicles, including a Ferrari Monza SP2 worth £3.7 million ($5 million), following a supercar meet-up in the city.
The Biggest Supercar Bust Since the Operation Started Five Years Ago
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The operation, described by the Met Police as a “crackdown on antisocial driving in central London,” saw the seizure of 90 vehicles in only two days (August 7-9)—the largest and most expensive one in the operation’s five-year history.
The mission targeted uninsured drivers, anti-social and dangerous driving across Hyde Park, Kensington and Chelsea. As you can imagine, police officers were quite busy. The Ferrari Monza SP2, for example, had only been in the UK for a day and was seized for “driving without insurance and not in accordance with a license.”
More specifically, the driver only had a provisional driving license and had been in the car for less than half an hour when Met officers stopped him. The seized Monza SP2 is one of only 499 made by the Scuderia, with one model selling at auction for $4,995,000 earlier this year.
The list of seized cars also includes very expensive vehicles like the Lamborghini Revuelto and Urus, Ferrari 812 and Purosangue, Rolls-Royce Wraith and Cullinan, a McLaren 600 LT Coupe, Porsche 911 GT3, and many other BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bentley, Aston Martin, and Range Rover luxury vehicles.
The Met Police said the action over the weekend showcased “new policing powers,” including the ability to seize vehicles involved in antisocial behavior rather than giving motorists a warning.
“This allows us to quickly tackle drivers who are causing alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public,” Met Police said in a statement. A total of 15 cars were seized under this new legislation alone.
Zero Tolerance for Reckless and Dangerous Behavior Behind the Wheel
“We regularly hear from local people who are fed up with people driving cars dangerously in the area, or with modifications which make them a nuisance to those who live nearby,” said Special Chief Inspector Geoff Tatman, who led the operation.
“Through operations like this we’re arresting these drivers and seizing their cars so we can keep our roads safe and send clear message that we won’t put up with their reckless and dangerous behavior,” he added.
No fewer than 120 officers took part in the operation targeting uninsured drivers and anti-social and dangerous driving. Oftentimes, these raids also bring to light criminal activity, including drug offenses, drink-driving and illegal street racing, and last weekend’s operation wasn’t an exception.
Officers arrested four individuals for unrelated offenses during the raid, including a man with 19 bank cards in other people’s names, and another man suspected of possession with intent to supply Class A, B and C drugs after he was stopped for driving uninsured and found with £5,500 ($7,500) in cash.
