Dutch prosecutors raid Uber offices

Prosecutors in the Netherlands raided Uber's European headquarters in Amsterdam on Tuesday, saying it was part of an ongoing investigation into the company's low-cost service UberPOP.

Uber has been under pressure from Dutch authorities since the end of last year, after a court ruled that UberPOP, which allows passengers to request rides from non-licensed drivers, was illegal. Following that ruling, prosecutors launched an investigation into the company amid suspicions it was continuing to offer the service.

"Uber uses the UberPOP app to book taxi rides with drivers who do not have a permit to operate as a taxi," said a statement released by the Dutch public prosecutor's office, according to the AFP. "It is illegal to offer a taxi service without a permit."

Uber, which has challenged the ruling, has said it will cooperate with Dutch authorities. It added that its other services, such as UberX, are still operating.

According to a spokeswoman for the Netherlands' national financial crimes prosecutor, authorities will decide within "months" whether they will charge the company with a crime, Reuters reported.

Uber, which has tens of thousands of users in the Netherlands, has been fined by the Dutch government a total of 450,00 euros ($506,000) so far.

blc/kms (AFP, AP, Reuters)