The “mass terror” against vacationers is gaining momentum. Tourists in one popular country are beginning to be fined 20 thousand rubles, and almost out of the blue — for violating the rules of shopping, or rather for buying “illegal” goods. Moreover, the question of how a tourist should distinguish the original from fakes does not bother anyone in power. All this is happening in Spain, where there are few of our tourists now due to European sanctions and related problems – but still, those who ended up in Spain and decided to buy sunglasses near the beach instead of forgotten ones should be careful.
“Tourists who buy goods from unlicensed merchants will be fined. Undercover police officers will patrol the streets of the Costa Blanca and impose sanctions on unsuspecting buyers,” the Spanish press threatens. “Illegals”, in the local slang “mantero”, sell almost everything — from sneakers and sunglasses to fake “designer” bags and watches. All this “counterfeit” is laid out on the street in the style of the clothing markets of the Russian 90s.
“Tourists often fall for this trick, attracted by low prices, but travelers who buy cheap souvenirs can now lose 200 euros out of their pocket. Plainclothes police will patrol the city during the summer holidays, and people caught shopping at unlicensed manteros will be fined up to 200 euros on the spot,” the press continues.
The new rule was pushed through by “interested parties” – owners of legal stores. According to the Local Association of merchants and businessmen, the real owners of shops only in the resort of Benalmadena estimated that they lose from 20 to 30% of their income due to illegal sellers. It is also known that the Civil Guard seized several tons of counterfeit products intended for street vendors from a warehouse in Alicante. But tourists are at risk of being extreme. By the way, the same rule is planned to be introduced on the Costa del Sol.
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