Seven taxi drivers arrested over dozens of offenses

Following police checks in Athens earlier this week, seven taxi drivers were arrested over a collective 186 total offenses, police said on Thursday.

Four of the drivers were found to possess counterfeit taxi licenses, two were caught to have collected higher fares than allowed, and one was found to have interfered with the receipt issuing device, preventing it from operating.

Some taxi drivers had placed duct tape or other objects partially or entirely obscuring taximeters and the legal fare rates, while others had even covered the devices with their own mobile phones running unlawful taximeter applications, regularly overcharging clients.

Administrative fines were issued, driving licenses and vehicle licenses were confiscated, and taxi disciplinary committees were informed.

As investigations into corrupt taxi drivers continue, the seven arrestees will be led before a prosecutor, police have said.