Brit tourists 'risking their lives' buying dodgy cocktails in popular resort

18 July 2023 , 00:42

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Local politicians say the so-called "mojiteros" have returned to the beaches of Benidorm (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Tourists in Benidorm "risking their health" as mojito sellers return to beaches. British tourists in Benidorm have been warned they are risking their health if they buy cocktails from unauthorised beach vendors.

Local politicians say the so-called "mojiteros" have returned to the beaches of Benidorm and that police surveillance has been stepped up.

The PSOE party claims the beach areas are once again "infested" by illegal activities such as untrained masseurs and vendors who sell drinks, particularly mojitos.

Socialist spokesperson, Cristina Escoda told Spanish newspaper Informacion.es that the presence of these vendors on the city's sandbanks has "increased" since the beginning of summer.

"Taking a simple walk, you can see an incessant trickle of people carrying out these illegal activities with total normality," she said. "This not only affects the image we offer to tourists but also seriously harms the city's hospitality sector."

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And she warned: "It can put the health of consumers at risk. The mojiteros handle the products with their hands in the trunk of a car or on the ground itself and obviously have no sanitary control."

She called on the PP government team to act urgently and implement measures to tackle this problem: "We know that it is complicated but part of the solution must involve both increasing the police presence and reinforcing the information and awareness campaigns for residents and tourists."

Benidorm city council says it HAS reinforced the police presence on the city's beaches during the summer season, significantly increasing the number of troops assigned to the surveillance of the sandbanks.

"In the busiest hours, there are 16 officers," said a spokesperson. "It is carried out not only on the beach and on the promenades but also from the water and from the air thanks to the zodiac and drone service."

The council says that in the coming days, an information campaign will be launched to help people get the best enjoyment out of Benidorm's beaches. This will include health recommendations related to heat and high temperatures and will also alert tourists about consumption of drinks without sanitary control.

In parallel to this campaign, the Local Police "will continue to act and pursue unauthorised practices on the beaches and denounce and punish offenders."

Illegal vendors will be prosecuted and their products confiscated.

Rita Sobot