Taxi drivers in Palma have warned the city council that fake licences are being circulated, allowing people to work illegally in the municipality. The complaint has been passed to the council’s mobility department, which has been asked to investigate and identify those responsible.
The president of the Taxis-Pimem association, Biel Moragues, said the group believes at least one driver is selling forged licences for around €3,000. He said the matter has been referred to the authorities so that appropriate action can be taken.
Moragues told local media that the association knows who the main suspect is, but lacks sufficient evidence. “That is now in the hands of the city council and the local police,” he said, adding that the person involved may have a wide network of potential clients.
To obtain a legitimate taxi licence, applicants must pass an official exam and pay a fee of €23. The test, held twice a year, requires detailed knowledge of Palma’s streets as well as general knowledge, and typically results in 300 to 400 licences being issued annually.
The association has seen at least one forged document, which it says is easy for professionals or council staff to identify as fake. Moragues has warned taxi drivers that producing or using such documents is a criminal offence and carries serious legal consequences.