Over 20 illegal broadcasters across London have been closed down in one of Ofcom's most aggressive moves against pirate radio to date. Three arrests have been made, transmitters and equipment have been removed and station advertisers have also been contacted.
The raids took place in the London Boroughs of Hackney, Haringey, Tower Hamlets and Islington, where illegal broadcasters make up 60 per cent of all those in North London.
Ofcom estimates that there are over 150 illegal stations operating in the UK, with half of those broadcasting across London and the South East.
Robert Thelen-Bartholomew, Director of Field Operations, said: "Illegal broadcasters can cause serious interference to safety-of-life services such as the fire brigade and air traffic control, as well as legitimate radio stations."
"Ofcom takes swift and firm action to remove these illegal stations from the air. We work closely with local authorities to ensure that this problem is tackled at source for the benefit of the community."
Last year, Ofcom carried out over 900 such operations and 37 people were convicted of offences related to illegal broadcasting.
