BRADFORD PH BOSS LOSES LICENCE AFTER HOUSE CONVERTED INTO £210,000 CANNABIS FARM

A Bradford private hire firm boss has had his private hire operator’s licence stripped away after allowing a property he owned to be transformed into a large-scale cannabis factory.

The decision was made by Bradford Council’s licensing panel following a police raid that uncovered a sophisticated illegal drug cultivation setup inside the house.

Authorities confirmed the farm contained a massive yield of cannabis plants, with an estimated street value of approximately £210,000.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the property’s electricity supply had been dangerously bypassed to power the specialised heating and lighting equipment required to grow the drugs. Police highlighted that this tampering created a severe fire hazard, posing a significant risk to the safety of neighbouring residents.

The Leap Taxis boss, who is responsible for a business operating 100 drivers in the district, claimed he had simply rented out the house to tenants and was unaware of the illegal activities taking place inside.

However, licensing officials rejected the explanation, ruling that he was no longer a “fit and proper person” to hold a taxi licence due to the scale of the criminal operation tied to his property.

In delivering the verdict, the licensing panel emphasised the strict standards required of local business operators to ensure public safety.

A spokesperson for the council stated that “the operator failed to meet the high standards of accountability required” to hold such a position of trust within the community, leading to the immediate revocation of the company’s operating licence.

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