Spain introduces £170 fines for British tourists who buy cheap souvenirs | Bristol Live

Tourists in Spain are being warned of a new crackdown on unlicensed street vendors, with undercover police patrolling the streets of the Costa Blanca and fining unsuspecting tourists.

The popular holiday destination is taking a stand against illegal street vendors offering everything from trainers and sunglasses to counterfeit ‘designer’ bags and watches. Tourists lured by the bargain prices often fall into the trap, but those who buy these cheap souvenirs could now find themselves £170 poorer.

Plainclothes police will be on patrol during the peak summer holidays and anyone caught buying from unlicensed ‘manteros’ will immediately face fines of up to €200 (around £170).

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These vendors, known locally as manteros or “top mantas,” typically display their wares on blankets placed in the street. Recently, the Guardia Civil seized several tons of counterfeit products intended for street vendors from a warehouse in Alicante.

The mayor of Torrevieja, a bustling town on the Costa Blanca, called for an increased police presence this summer to enforce the rules. In the height of summer, the city’s population more than doubles to around 500,000, Alicante Today reports, Birmingham Live reports.

There have been calls to Spain’s Costa del Sol for tougher penalties against shoppers who buy from the infamous ‘pretentious men’. Often seen selling counterfeit merchandise, clothing and goods to beachgoers in Spain, these errant street vendors frequently operate illegally without a license.

The local Association of Traders and Businessmen claims that legitimate shop owners in the coastal town of Benalmadena are losing between 20 and 30 percent of their profits to these unlicensed sellers.