Illegal beach drinks in Spain’s holiday island of Mallorca will give you more than just a bad hangover, police in the city of Palma are warning holidaymakers.
Mallorca, known for its warm waters, coastal hikes and ideal stargazing conditions, is a notorious hotspot for booze-ups, and police say tourists seeking sunshine are being targeted by illicit street cocktail mixers with little to no hygiene standards.
“The Palma Local Police warn tourists and residents about the serious health risks posed by consuming cocktails, such as mojitos or sangrias, purchased through illegal street vendors on Playa de Palma,” a police statement dated July 21 reads.
During a special operation on July 13, officers from the local police observed a street vendor near a busy tourist area of Mallorca cutting fruit directly on the ground of a car park.
The fruit was prepared simply on a plastic bag and without any hygienic precautions, police reported. The drinks reportedly came from a five-litre container and were poured into plastic cups on-site.
“This practice, in addition to constituting an infraction for selling alcohol on public roads without a licence, for which the seller was administratively reported, poses a potential danger to the health of consumers as it is carried out without any food controls,” police said.
Street drinking is banned in several party zones in Mallorca, where fines of up to €1,500 (RM7,429) can be imposed.
The crackdown on illegal street vendors and public drinking is part of a broader effort to address health and safety concerns, noise pollution and anti-social behaviour in Palma and other tourist hotspots associated with “sun, sex and sangria” parties. – dpa
