Cleaning Up Counterfeit Cocktails
Cleaning Up Counterfeit Cocktails
Beach season is in full effect which means the summer cocktails are flowing endlessly, especially in Spain. Unfortunately, police have discovered a disturbing trend that vacationers need to make note of if they plan on day-drinking in the sun and sand this summer. Spain’s popularity with tourists has been highlighted recently as the most-loved beaches in Europe and unveiled by beach holiday specialist “On the Beach” who surveyed 1,000 families - most of them were in Spain. However, with the coveted beaches comes a few unsavory characters that want nothing more than to make a quick dollar (or euro so to speak).
Illegal alcohol vendors are popping up faster than police can keep up with them and, in a new twist, footage has emerged of ingredients being stored under manhole covers in what most would call less than sanitary conditions. These vendors have been found to regularly sell drinks to tourists on the beaches of Barcelona and Benidorm and it’s believed that they even attempt to trick travelers by selling them cocktails from nearby bars. At €5, they may seem like a bargain, but this probably has to do with the fact that all of theses drinks are made from ingredients and in containers stored in filthy drains and under sidewalks.
Photo: iGuB
Photo: iGuB
A recent video posted on Facebook shows police officers pulling up manhole covers in the pavements in Barcelona and extracting bags of cocktail equipment. The officers claim that the drinks are then mixed on dirty surfaces including public bathrooms and that the fruit used in the cocktails is washed under beach showers. With the fact that a drink from a legal bar is only on average €10, it is advised that tourists avoid buying from illegal beach vendors, no matter how tempting the price.
We hope you've enjoyed learning how the Spanish police are Cleaning Up Counterfeit Cocktails! Be sure to check out our Culture and Language blog for more helpful hints to make the most of your Spanish getaway. Salud!