Speeding Dealer Nabbed After Wild Moped Chase in Woolwich
Zakariya Taibi, 21, of Greenwich, has been locked up for over four years after a hair-raising moped chase through Woolwich and Charlton. The court slammed him with a 4-year 2-month sentence for drug supply, possession of criminal property, and dangerous driving at Woolwich Crown Court on 27 July.
High-Speed Moped Madness
Just weeks after being released from prison for similar crimes, Taibi was spotted by plain-clothes cops from the Met’s South East Violence Suppression Unit riding erratically on Shooters Hill Road on 27 June.
The chase kicked off as the moped sped at 50-60mph in a 30mph zone, racing over speed bumps and dangerously overtaking cars on the wrong side of the road. He blasted through a red light at Woolwich Common at 40mph, narrowly avoiding a catastrophic crash.
A terrifying moment saw the moped nearly hit a small child crossing Lakedale Road—saved only by a quick-thinking adult pulling the child to safety.
Foot Chase and Drug Evidence Found
The drama ramped up when Taibi ditched the moped in a dead-end, threw off his helmet, and tried to make a run for it. Officers tackled him in nearby woodland and arrested him.
While searching the moped, police found two hidden iPhones containing messages linked to the supply of class A and B drugs. At Taibi’s home, officers seized £1,820 stashed on top of a cupboard. The bag he tossed during his escape remains missing.
Tough Sentence Sends Warning to Drug Dealers
PC David Paine from the South East Violence Suppression Unit said: “Drug supply and violence are interlinked and the supply of drugs harms our communities in various ways, causing misery to addicts and their families.”
“I am pleased with the robust sentence, which should act as a deterrent for those considering involving themselves in this type of crime. Drug dealing is a gamble where you often lose more than you win. In this case, Taibi will be spending more than two years in prison before being considered for release on licence.”
Taibi is also banned from driving for 49 months, covering his time on licence after prison. The confiscated cash will be reinvested into policing efforts.
