Published 22nd Oct 2026, 16:54 BST
Police have seized 15 e-bikes in Leeds as part of a crackdown on organised immigration crime across West Yorkshire.
Officers took the bikes as part of an operation with immigration agencies to ensure people are being treated fairly and working legally.
West Yorkshire Police said delivery drivers on e-bikes and similar vehicles are often at risk of exploitation or immigration offences.
During the investigation, officers spoke with 56 e-bike riders, stopped and checked 21 vehicles and submitted 14 intelligence reports.
They also made three arrests as part of the crackdown between Monday 21 September and Monday 5 October.
The drive was part of Operation Lockstream, a national initiative aiming to identify the organised crime networks which often exploit vulnerable people by helping them enter the UK, exposing them to dangerous journeys and exploitative conditions.
Detective Inspector Victoria Daniel-Thomas, from West Yorkshire Police’s Modern Slavery Human Trafficking team, said: “Organised crime is connected to violence, exploitation and anti-social behaviour and we aim to identify and protect anyone at risk. We hope to make West Yorkshire a difficult place for organised criminal gangs to operate and ensure the safety of our communities.”