The Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation conduct four to 10 stings per month to catch so-called "bandit taxi drivers."
These bandits are described as people who illicitly pose as cab drivers, sidestepping regulators and taking cash fares, according to police.
The LAPD and LADOT spend about $800,000 annually on these sting operations and all of it is paid for by the taxi cab industry, NBC4’s media partner KPCC reports.
But Uber and Lyft drivers are questioning the legality of the undercover operations and the role of the taxi industry, which has opposed ride share companies operating in Los Angeles.
Read more at KPCC
