A collaborative operation involving Gloucestershire Roads Policing Unit, Immigration Officers, and the Motor Insurers' Bureau has resulted in the arrest of seven courier drivers in Cheltenham and Gloucester. The arrests were made on the grounds of overstaying visa periods and breaching immigration bail conditions.
The joint patrol aimed to ensure that delivery drivers possessed the correct insurance documentation and the legal right to work in the UK. Immigration Enforcement officers confirmed that all individuals arrested were working as courier drivers-not food delivery drivers. Of those detained, five had overstayed their visa periods, while the remaining two were found to have breached immigration bail conditions.
Throughout the operation, over 100 food delivery drivers were stopped and checked. All were found to have valid food delivery accounts, complied with terms of their agreements, and were legally authorised to work.
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In addition to the arrests, authorities seized a modified electric bicycle fitted with a motor exceeding the legal speed limit of 15.5mph, as well as a van that lacked insurance and tax coverage since the driver’s policy did not permit food delivery use.
A total of nine electric bikes, seven mopeds, and six vans were stopped due to insurance-related issues.
PC Merchant from the Roads Policing Unit commented: “I am pleased that all the food delivery drivers we spoke to were adhering to the regulations. We hope this reassures local residents. We are aware of concerns regarding anti-social driving among food delivery staff and will continue to conduct operations like this in the coming months to address these issues.”