Formentera local police write 257 citations for itinerant vending

venda-ambulant-foto2pd1Formentera’s Department of Interior reports the island's law enforcement force logged 257 citations for itinerant sales in summer 2019. The figure is a new high, 142 more than last year’s total of 115.

Interior conseller and director of the local police Josep Marí thanked law enforcement officers, whose achievements, according to Marí, include “responding to the appeals of local businesses by putting together a more targeted plan to tackle the unfair competition” that itinerant vending represents. Marí added that peddlers on beaches are “at odds with the image of tranquility our visitors came here for”.

Operations and confiscated material
From June to September agents wrote 257 citations and confiscated an array of material including 2,667 pieces of fruit, 481 drinks, 1,319 pieces of clothing and 850 pieces of costume jewellery. The island’s department of trade is responsible for processing the offences and initiating charges in each case.

Marí also saluted representatives of Formentera’s small and medium-sized business group, PIMEF, for the additional support they offered, “helping to constantly pinpoint areas of itinerant selling” and “keeping direct contact with Formentera’s interior and trade offices to combat this problem together”.

Other infractions
Charges will also be brought against 37 vendors for illegal possession of a knife, not to mention against eight vendors for trespassing on protected dunes. Trespassing charges are overseen by the natural spaces and biodiversity section of the Balearic ministry of environment and territory.

Most of the confiscated material came from near Ses Illetes beach, although operations also focused on beaches like Migjorn, Es Caló.

14 November 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera