Laurence Dollimore
SPAIN has deployed more than 40,000 extra police officers to crackdown on trouble-making tourists and crime this summer.
‘Operation Summer’ will see the agents, from Policia Nacional and Guardia Civil, distributed across nine tourist-heavy regions, including Andalucia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands until August 31 (extended to September 30 for the Balearics).
The goal is to ‘guarantee the protection of the summer season’ and ‘consolidate Spain as one of the safest destinations in the world.’
Secretary of state for security Rafael Perez told a press conference in Malaga that the main focus will be to increase surveillance and crowd control in hotspots like train stations,airports, hotels, beaches and camping sites, or any large-scale events.
It means there will be extra police eyes looking out for anyone pick-pocketing or causing trouble.
It comes after a group of Brits were arrested after starting a bar brawl which ended in a brutal stabbing on the first day of lifting of lockdown restrictions back in May.
Just last week an illegal party full of Brits was also shut down in Mallorca.
In the times of COVID-19, police will also be ensuring that tourists and locals are following health guidelines, such as social distancing and the donning of masks where appropriate.
The Safe Tourism Plan has also been launched, which aims to protect travellers from the typical crimes which target tourists, such as pick-pocketing or accommodation burglaries.
The plan also includes taking tougher action against squatters taking over tourist apartments.
The fight against cyber-fraud will also receive a boost, with extra officers focused on weeding out fake holiday websites and travel packages scams.
Meanwhile, those taking a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago will see thousands more officers deployed to the Via de la Plata and Mozarabic sections of the route.
