Police seize Lamborghini worth over £200,000 under strengthened dangerous driving laws

Police have seized a Lamborghini potentially worth more than £200,000 under tightened laws introduced to crack down on dangerous driving.

Essex police confiscated the Lamborghini Huracan on Saturday afternoon after receiving reports of the supercar being driven dangerously in Southend. The car was travelling at speeds suspected to be more than twice the limit, police said.

“Antisocial driving can pose a danger to other people using the road and cause misery to residents,” a force spokesperson said.

“The safety of our communities will always be our priority and we’ll take action against those who risk the safety of others.”

The online marketplace Autotrader estimates the total retail value of the Lamborghini Huracan at £238,195, depending on the model.

The vehicle was seized under section 59 of the Police Reform Act, which was strengthened earlier this year to allow police to immediately confiscate a vehicle causing – or likely to cause – alarm, distress or annoyance to the public.

Previously, drivers received a warning under which their vehicle could only be seized if they were involved in another antisocial driving incident within 12 months.

Officers can still choose to give a warning at their discretion. The law allows officers to stop and seize vehicles, or enter premises where they believe the vehicle is being held – and “use reasonable force where necessary”.

Wheelspins and burnouts, drifting in public places, racing in residential areas and repeated revving “causing nuisance” were all reasons for which vehicles could be seized, the Essex police spokesperson said.

The Metropolitan police last year seized 72 luxury cars worth more than £6m in a crackdown on antisocial driving in London.

The vehicles – which included Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Bentleys – were either unroadworthy or being driven illegally, the Met said.