Torrevieja tackles the government over illegal street vendor row
Tourists in the Costa Blanca holiday hotspot will be fined for buying dodgy gear on the streets
The Torrevieja City Council is taking a stand against illegal street vending, a persistent issue plaguing the city’s promenades, particularly during the summer tourist influx.
This summer, the packed promenade is dotted with signs advising tourists that they will be fined if caught buying goods from the “manteros”, who operate on the sidewalks without a licence, often peddling stolen or knock-off items.
However, in a letter to the Spanish Government, Alicante’s Councillor for Security Federico Alarcón criticised the decision against appointing more plain clothes police in Torrevieja to enforce this rule.
Mr Alarcón emphasised that Torrevieja faces unique security challenges since its population virtually triples during the summer months, and as a result, the city has become a hotbed for illegal traders taking advantage of the bustling atmosphere.
He highlighted the urgency of the situation: “It is unbelievable that in a reference city like ours, it is very easy to locate the points where crimes are being committed in situ, and yet we cannot do much, not due to a lack of capacity but due to a lack of the resources and tools requested.”
“We feel abandoned and forgotten,” he added.
The double issue of a lack of police and a glut of street vendors presents other problems. On a daily basis, the manteros set up on both sides of the promenade, between terraces and the cliffs overlooking the sea. This creates a narrow passage for tourists, increasing the risk of petty theft and accidental falls, while also projecting an unfavourable image to visitors, according to the council.
The city council is doing its utmost to address this issue, which is complicated even further by the involvement of international mafia gangs in the running of the street selling game.
However, they are stretched far too thin, with limited resources and a multitude of responsibilities, including managing summer services, traffic accidents, gender violence, noise problems and various cultural and sporting events.
Other holiday hotspots like Alicante and Benidorm have seen their police force bumped up with extra undercover officers during the summer months, but sadly Torrevieja has been excluded, despite being the third most populated municipality in the province.
In other news: Alicante police dog sniffs out three German drug smugglers
Image: Policía Nacional
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