A large number of illegal taxis and private car hires (VTCs) are operating along the Costa del Sol, police have warned.

It comes after a major crackdown uncovered dozens of illegal transport vehicles working around Malaga Airport.

The operation, named ‘Transporte Legitimo’, was carried out by the Policia Local de Malaga alongside transport inspectors from the Junta de Andalucía.

Investigators say the scale of the fraud was far greater than initially suspected, with hundreds of checks revealing illegal operators allegedly transporting passengers without the proper VTC licences required to legally function as ride-hailing or chauffeur services in Spain.

The investigation focused heavily on Málaga Airport, the city centre and western areas of the city — all major hotspots for tourists arriving on the Costa del Sol.

Authorities carried out around 2,900 inspections during the first phase of the operation.

As a result, 36 vehicles were reported and impounded after allegedly operating without the legally required transport authorisation.

Police also uncovered a range of other alleged offences, including falsified documentation, fake number plates, uninsured vehicles and drivers operating illegally in Spain.

In one case, a driver was arrested after officers allegedly discovered he was using the licence plate from another vehicle belonging to the same company.

In another incident, police say a suspected illegal driver attempted to identify himself using his brother’s identity before officers allegedly discovered he was living irregularly in Spain and did not possess a driving licence.

A third criminal investigation began after officers reportedly found a VTC accreditation card issued by the Junta de Andalucía had been manipulated.

Police say some of the vehicles were deliberately made to resemble legitimate VTC or taxi services by displaying blue registration plates despite being registered for private use only.

Investigators also claim many of the vehicles had previously been linked to genuine VTC licences before the owners either sold the licence or transferred it to another vehicle — but allegedly continued using both cars for passenger transport with just one active licence.

Authorities warned that some online transport platforms may have continued assigning journeys to the illegal vehicles without realising the licences were no longer valid.

In total, 25 companies were investigated during the operation, while four cases involving alleged irregularities in driver contracts were referred to Spain’s labour inspectorate.

Police say the first phase of the crackdown ended in late April and has already led to a noticeable reduction in illegal activity, although further operations are expected to continue across the Costa del Sol.

Why should users be concerned?

If there is an accident, customers may discover they are not properly covered by commercial passenger insurance.

A normal private car insurance policy may be invalid if the vehicle is illegally carrying paying passengers.

There are also obvious personal safety concerns. Legitimate taxis and licensed VTC drivers in Spain undergo checks and operate under regulated systems. Illegal operators may not have passed those controls.

Another issue is traceability. If a passenger is robbed, assaulted, overcharged or leaves belongings behind, it may be much harder for authorities to identify or track down an unlicensed driver.

The fact the operation focused heavily on Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport is particularly significant because newly arrived tourists are often targeted by illegal transport operators posing as legitimate taxis or airport transfer services.

Police also warned that some vehicles looked fully legitimate, with fake or misleading blue plates designed to imitate authorised VTC vehicles.

For customers, the safest approach is generally to:

• Use officially licensed taxis from designated ranks,
• Book VTCs through recognised apps,
• Check licence details inside the vehicle,
• Avoid accepting unsolicited rides from drivers approaching people directly at airports or transport hubs.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.