London police seize record haul of supercars

London police seized 90 vehicles worth more than £8 million, including a rare Ferrari valued at about £3.7 million, during a weekend crackdown on antisocial driving in some of the capital’s wealthiest neighborhoods.

The Metropolitan Police said the operation ran from Friday to Sunday in Kensington, Chelsea and Hyde Park, targeting uninsured, antisocial and dangerous driving. The force said it was the highest number and total value of vehicles seized since the operation began five years ago. CBS News reported the haul was worth about $10 million.

Among the cars taken was a Ferrari Monza SP2, one of only 499 made by the Italian manufacturer. Police said the car had been in the United Kingdom for just one day when it was stopped, and the driver had been behind the wheel for less than half an hour. The Met said the driver held only a provisional licence and had no insurance. A Monza SP2 sold at auction earlier this year for £3.7 million, or about $4.9 million, the BBC reported.

Authorities in England classify antisocial driving as conduct that can include unnecessary noise, street racing and cruising in a convoy. During summer months, owners of expensive and exotic cars often gather in affluent central London areas, and residents have complained about drivers revving engines and creating disturbances.

“The disruption caused by these reckless drivers and boy racers is often worse during the summer months and, as well as putting people at risk, causes significant nuisance for residents and businesses,” said Caroline Sargent, a Westminster City Council lawmaker.

Police said officers this year have been given powers to seize vehicles involved in antisocial behavior immediately, rather than first issuing a warning. The BBC reported that 15 of the vehicles were seized under those powers.

Special Chief Inspector Geoff Tatman, who led the operation, said local complaints had been central to the crackdown.

“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,” Tatman said.

“Through operations like this, we’re arresting these drivers and seizing their cars so we can keep our roads safe,” he added, according to CBS News. The BBC reported that Tatman said the seizures were intended to keep roads safe and deter dangerous driving.

Police also made several arrests during the weekend operation. Officers arrested one man on suspicion of handling stolen goods and money laundering after finding 19 bank cards in other people’s names and more than £2,500 in cash, the Met said, according to the BBC. A second man, who had been stopped on suspicion of driving without insurance, was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Two further arrests were made: one on suspicion of using words or behavior likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and another on suspicion of an immigration offence, the BBC reported.

The Met said the record weekend reflected its effort to respond to public complaints about dangerous and disruptive driving in central London, where high-performance cars are a recurring summer presence in areas popular with wealthy residents, visitors and businesses.