Metropolitan Police Seize £3.7m Ferrari in London Crackdown

Record Seizure in Central London

The Metropolitan Police seized a £3.7 million Ferrari Monza SP2 — one of only 499 ever produced — along with 89 other vehicles during a three-day enforcement operation targeting uninsured, anti-social, and dangerous driving across Hyde Park, Kensington, and Chelsea between 7 and 9 August. The supercar had been in the United Kingdom for less than 24 hours when officers stopped it. The driver held only a provisional licence and the vehicle carried no insurance.

The operation yielded the highest number and combined value of seized vehicles in its five-year history. In total, the 90 impounded vehicles carried an estimated collective worth exceeding £8 million. A comparable Ferrari Monza SP2 sold at auction earlier this year for approximately $5 million — roughly £3.7 million — placing it among the most valuable single assets ever seized under the operation.

Legal Basis and Scope of the Operation

Fifteen of the seized vehicles were impounded under recently expanded police powers that permit officers to confiscate a vehicle outright — rather than issue a warning — where anti-social behaviour is established. The operation covered the affluent corridors of Hyde Park, Kensington, and Chelsea, areas that have drawn repeated complaints about high-performance vehicles being driven recklessly.

Among the other high-value marques impounded were a Lamborghini Revuelto, a Ferrari 812, a Porsche 911 GT3, a McLaren, a Rolls-Royce Wraith, a Bentley Continental, and a Ferrari Purosangue. Officers also stopped a Range Rover Sport fitted with an aftermarket body kit on Park Lane and a Mercedes GLC on Vauxhall Bridge.

Ancillary Arrest and Financial Offences

Beyond traffic enforcement, one man was detained on suspicion of handling stolen goods and money laundering after officers discovered him in possession of 19 bank cards registered to other individuals. The circumstances of that arrest underscore that the operation extended beyond road safety into broader criminal activity occurring within the same geography.

Conduct During the Operation Under Scrutiny

The seizure drew additional public attention after footage circulated showing a Metropolitan Police officer piloting the open-top Ferrari through Mayfair, accompanied by a police convoy, while wearing sunglasses. The images prompted questions about the protocols governing how officers handle seized high-performance vehicles during transit to impound facilities. The Metropolitan Police has not publicly addressed the footage.

“Through operations like this we’re arresting these drivers and seizing their cars so we can keep our roads safe,” a Metropolitan Police statement read, adding that the force intended to send “a clear message that we won’t put up with their reckless and dangerous behaviour.” The statement did not specify what charges, if any, had been filed against the Ferrari’s driver or the other individuals whose vehicles were impounded.