Illegal street selling is hardly a new theme. It occurs in resorts across the island but is on a particularly intensive scale in Palma. Even in the low months for tourism, the activity can be feverish when cruise ships dock.
Action by the local police has been proving successful in dissuading the sellers from setting out their imitation wares by the Cathedral. If they are caught by police, the goods are confiscated. Motorbike and car patrols have increased, though the sellers have their system of notification. One will shout a warning if the police are observed. Tourists might be somewhat startled by a group of men running off, but the bags that they are carrying explain their reason for hastily departing the scene.
Successful police intervention in specific areas - the Plaça Major has been another - just means that the sellers look for alternatives. One of these is right on the Moll Vell pier where coaches arrive to collect cruise-ship tourists. While sellers have used this patch previously, it has mostly been for the perambulating style of selling. Now it has become popular for what is known as "top manta", a reference to the blankets that contain the goods and which are spread out on pavements.
The police can only do so much. Legitimate traders suggest that they need to tackle the sources of supply, while the town hall has been talking about greater assimilation of the sellers into regular society and the labour market.
For the time being though, the sellers will, regardless of police intervention, find their alternative areas.
6 comments
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Fox - I am realistic, you moaning minnie. And I don't hide behind some 'amusing nickname'.
Rawson, always upbeat and optimistic, I wonder why he does not leave the island if he sees no light at the end of the tunnel and perhaps gives some people the benefit of the doubt.
This must be a joke, you see them everywhere. They hiding halfhaerted when the police is coming and when the police has passed, they are on alert again. It's the same on the beaches also for those Chinese girls offering massage as for the gipsies selling fruit and Fanta.
You can hardly call it a success, can you It is just moving them and bothering people elsewhere Either do the job properly : change whatever law is needed, give police more empowerment; arrest them and send them back or let them carry on
Stop them selling sunglasses and they will start selling drugs; if they don't already.
I sat in Bar Bosch, at the top of the Borne (opposite C & A ) this morning. The place was plagued many times by "looky-looky" sellers. The staff didn´t seem bothered - no-one sent them away and no police were around. I didn´t see anyone buy anything from them. I prefer to be able to sit with my coffee and watch the world go by without being constantly pestered by these sellers.