Illegal gypsy cab drivers face fines or deportation warns Sharjah

Gypsy cab drivers in Sharjah will face hefty fines and deportation if caught offering illegal services to the public, the emirate’s transport authority warned yesterday. The number of transport inspectors looking out for gypsy cab drivers — or “passenger smugglers”, as they are sometimes referred to in Arabic — are being increased as the local authorities launch a crackdown on the practise, according to Rashid Al Nuaimi, head of the violations section at the Sharjah Public Transport Corporation. First-time offenders will be issued a Dh5,000 fine, while second-timers will have to pay Dh10,000 and face administrative deportation, Mr Al Nuaimi was reported as saying by The National’s Arabic-language sister paper, Al Ittihad.