Of the 4,801 taxi drivers driving around in Amsterdam, 53 percent had been involved in a crime or other criminal offense in the past three years. That’s in the research Cab! Malicious activities and (subversive) crime in the Amsterdam taxi industry from Bureau Beke. The research was commissioned by the Regional Information and Expertise Center Amsterdam-Amstelland.
‘Involved’ means that a taxi driver has had something to do with a criminal offense or is considered a suspect. 18 percent of taxi drivers have been suspected of an offense in the past three years. This mainly concerns traffic and violent crimes.
There have been 22,339 incidents involving taxis in Amsterdam in the past three years, which equates to 20 per day, the survey shows. In a quarter of the cases, it concerns traffic offenses such as collisions, speeding violations, driving through a red light or driving on after an accident. One in ten times it involves violent crimes.
Maleficent Activities
In addition to the involvement in traffic and violent incidents, the study shows how other forms of crime and subversion have seeped into the Amsterdam taxi industry. For example, the sector is associated with, among other things, the transport of soft or hard drugs, possession of weapons, and the transport of money and criminals.
Reason for the researchers to sound the alarm: “it’s code red” they conclude. They therefore make suggestions for tackling the problems, such as screenings and conducting ‘awareness talks’ with the drivers. In those conversations, drivers are pointed out that criminals can abuse them.
Two years ago, the municipality of Amsterdam also hit alarm on undermining in the taxi sector. lie there plan to make the industry safer.
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