- Six people have been arrested in Birmingham, AL, as part of a crackdown on street racing and sideshows.
- Seven firearms were recovered and four vehicles impounded in lates round of Operation Knight Rider.
- Birmingham PD had already arrested 23 people on similar charges in May.
Police across the US have struggled to deal with an epidemic of street racing and sideshows where entire intersections are brought to a standstill for some impromptu drift action. But cops in Birmingham, AL, are upping the pressure and have just announced another wave of arrests.
Six men, four of them aged 20 or under, were hauled off to the slammer during two raids that took place in late May and mid-June. The bust resulted in the seizure of four cars, one of which was stolen, and images released by the Birmingham Police Department show a Mercedes CLS, two Dodge Challengers and a battered Infiniti G37 on the back of tow trucks.
Related: Birmingham PD’s Operation Knight Rider Nets Stolen Cars, Sideshow Shutdowns
But cops also recovered seven firearms and two Glock Switch devices, which turn regular 9mm pistols into rapid fire weapons classed by law as machine guns, and are highly illegal as a consequence. That should be enough to quash any notions that Operation Knight Rider is just about the cops spoiling the fun of some regular car enthusiasts who just got a little carried away with the right pedal.
Some of those arrested were charged with receiving stolen property, possession of drugs and felony attempt to elude police, and there were three charges of ‘exhibition driving.’
Birmingham mayor, Randall Woodfin, asked cops last year for a plan to clamp down on illegal street racing, donuts and drifting, and Operation Knight Rider finally launched in early April 2024, al.com reports. In the past, drivers could only be ticketed for getting involved in those activities, but now they can be hit with misdemeanor charges, and even a Class B felony if their actions result in injury, death or property damage.
Cops say the crackdown will continue over the next few months, which might make some of the city’s oversteer-loving drivers think twice about putting on a stunt show. And it might make police and officials in other cities start taking their own stand against dangerous driving.
