On Friday, 21 August, Mossos d'Esquadra officers intercepted a seven-seat vehicle with Polish licence plates picking up passengers at Terminal 1 of Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. The car was found in an area designated for Uber operations and had no legal authorisation to provide transport services in Barcelona.
Following the intervention, the vehicle was impounded and a fine of 4,001 euros was issued. It will remain in police custody until the fine is paid and the administrative measure lifted, according to information published by Todo Taxi and verified through official reporting.
Repeated crackdowns on illegal transfers
This incident highlights the ongoing issue of unlicensed vehicles offering passenger transport at Barcelona's airport, a key entry point for tourists. The taxi sector warns that vehicles with foreign plates operating without permits are not uncommon, with similar cases previously reported around the airport and other high-traffic locations.
Drivers with proper licensing view these operations as unfair competition. Licensed taxis and VTCs (vehicle for hire with driver) must pay significant fees and meet regulatory requirements to operate legally at the airport.
"There is an underground network of illegal transport linked to major accommodation platforms that offer transfers,"
explained sources in a recent El Periódico report on coordinated operations against unlicensed drivers and labour exploitation at the airport. These transfers are often subcontracted to companies using drivers without proper documentation, contracts, or working conditions, enabling cheaper rates.
Regular enforcement by Mossos
The Mossos conduct almost daily controls at El Prat. A broader operation earlier in 2025, involving Catalonia’s Labour Inspection, the National Police, and the Mossos, identified 11 drivers, five of whom were working irregularly. Five immigration proceedings and seven labour irregularity cases were opened, and one vehicle was impounded.
According to El Periódico, more than 500 complaints were filed in six months over illegal taxis at the airport, and officers issue over two fines per day on average for unlicensed operations.
Primary sources: ${rpb.dspace.name}. Reported by metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, Cesc Maideu, Gisela Macedo, Pau de la Calle, catalannews.com, Germán González, Arnau Raimundo, Metrópoli Abierta - Urban Life.
