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Cabbie case causes Chronicle quest

A court case where a cabbie was found guilty of possessing firearms led the Newcastle Evening Chronicle to conduct its own investigation into local taxi firms.

Two cab companies are now set to be investigated by the police after the paper uncovered their criminal connections.

Taxi firm owners, who have to hold an operators’ licence, are expected to be fit and proper people to run a taxi business.

But in some cases the licence is held by an entrepreneur rather than any of the management team, which causes difficulties for the police and licensing authorities.

The Chronicle found people with convictions for drugs or firearms offences linked to some firms around the north-east.

The finding were revealed at the same time as one cab boss was convicted of arming himself with a loaded handgun and a sawn-off shotgun.

The paper revealed how he told police that he wanted to warm others how “his toys were as good as their toys”.

Northumbria Police have promised an investigation on the paper’s findings.

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