human trafficking training for the protection of the vulnerable but there has never been any direct guidance of when we end up with running drug dealers around.
For an example of we have to put up with, which has been reported in the press, please see the Guildford story on page 15.
If anyone knows me then they are fully aware that I don’t drink, don’t smoke and I have never been tempt- ed to even have a single puff on an illicit roll-up let alone partake in recreational drugs. Give me a cup of tea and digestive any day....
Over the following few weeks as a trade rep I became involved in two such related matters to do with the trade which became an eye-opener to me and I also explored this issue with colleagues. You have to appreciate that I am treading carefully here in what I am putting down.
I did a tweet about drug running in the trade and being the totally naive person that I am on such matters I was very surprised to read tweets from what I presume were cab drivers from unknown areas almost brag that drug running is a normal every day job for them. Effectively knowing full well what they are doing and without a care in the world and from those tweets it would not surprise me if many of those such drivers are reading this.
I decided to make this subject a point of discussion with our Taxi Trade Form, which consists of reps from the companies and individual groups. We concluded that we all know very well that there is very little that can be done about it, but we would seek advice from the council. However from my experience (that I have not gone into detail about) I know that if a cab driver is caught being involved in drug running then the con- sequences are that they can not only lose their cab driving licence but also their vehicle licence as well.
I put it to the trade reps that if it is the case that our trade is increasingly being used for drug running by mostly drivers innocent of being directly involved, then we must seek advice from the council to protect ourselves. We have already been through CSE and
NOVEMBER 2021
So at the next main Taxi Trade Forum meeting with the council I put it to our licensing officers as to what a driver should do when it is discovered that the passen- ger or passengers are dealing in drugs whilst transporting them from one drop to another. What is it that the driver can do to protect not only their well- being but their licence as well?
I went on to explain that whatever passenger is picked up at the best of times the driver has no idea as to whether weapons are being carried. I also stated that even the fact that we have council controlled CCTV in all our vehicles does not seem to put drug dealers off.
I wasn’t expecting an immediate response but of course we were told that there is a number to call for incidents such as this, albeit anonymously. I did explain however that I very much doubt that any driver would want to go any further in reporting drug dealing for fear of repercussions (at the same time thinking of those shovel hands and enormous chins).
So we have left it with Licensing to provide guidelines on what we should do when carrying drug dealers in our cabs.
What I want Licensing to put to us in writing is: to carry out a risk assessment and to protect ourselves, which for all intents and purposes is effectively to carry on driving as normal, because this is what I want to quote if at anytime I am pulled over and my cab seized... which is what has happened here more than a few times.
When we get that advice I will report it here.... now where is my cup of tea and digestive...
Andy Peters Brighton & Hove Cab Trade Association
info@bhcta.co.uk
facebook.com/groups/bhcabta
www.bhcta.co.uk @cabsbrighton
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