MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Gibraltar: Spain hits back at UK accusing the Rock of increased tobacco smuggling
García-Margallo claims that tobacco seizures in the border with Gibraltar have increased 213% between 2010 and 2013 The Spanish Government has accused Britain of failing to tackle a sharp rise in tobacco smuggling at the border. In a statement marking the six-month deadline set by the European Commission following its visit last year, Spain also said that cooperation with law enforcement agencies in Gibraltar had deteriorated.
The statement by the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs came a day after UK Europe Minister David Lidington denounced continued delays at the border and urged Spain to act on the EC recommendations.
“Spain has established, over the past few months, that the United Kingdom has to adopt the necessary measures to tackle smuggling,” the Spanish statement said.
”Cooperation with local Gibraltarian authorities, far from improving, unfortunately appears to be worsening.”
The Spanish ministry cited a recent incident in which a Guardia Civil officer was injured at sea while intercepting cigarette smugglers in British waters.
“This lack of cooperation in the face of an increase requires Spain to intensify controls both in the waters and at the fence,” the statement added.
According to the ministry headed by Jose Manuel García-Margallo, tobacco seizures at the border have increased 213% between 2010 and 2012, to reach 97,146 cartons in 2013. The trend had continued into 2014, with 13,781 cartons seized in the first two months of the year.
The Spanish ministry also claimed that overland cigarette exports into Gibraltar tripled between 2006 and 2011. Since then, the trend had “intensified” to reach more than 11.4m cartons exported into Gibraltar by land last year.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules-
-
-
Read all commentsThe Spanish ministry cited a recent incident in which a Guardia Civil officer was injured at sea while intercepting cigarette smugglers in British waters.
May 19th, 2014 - 10:26 am 0What was a Guardia Civil doing in British waters?
According to the reports, most tobacco smuggling is undertaken by Spanish individuals in smallish boats. There's also a largeish element undertaken by Spanish poachers in British waters. As for the Guardia Civil thug, as zathras says, what was he doing there. And, more importantly, thank you spain. Was he inside the Port of Gibraltar? I thought all the other waters were Spanish. But now you admit that they are British. Thanks very much. The spanish are no different to the argies. Just wait patiently and they'll trip themselves up in their own lies. But now let's get something meaningful out there and start shooting.
May 19th, 2014 - 11:08 am 0Quick word for the Guardia Civil thug. So sorry, senorita, did you get a splinter or break a nail? Didn't your mummy warn you that wearing those heels on a boat was dangerous, you nance! But pehaps it was part of the onboard “entertainment”! “Jose's in his bunk. Trot in and drop your anchor”!
Territorial Waters
May 19th, 2014 - 11:41 am 0Margallo also said, 'Not sure about legal challenge of Gibraltar's waters.' quoted in MercoPress 13 December 2013.
'Historic Title' Guyana-v-Suriname PCA case 17 Sept 2007, para 296 'Thus Article 15 of the Convention places ''primary'' on the median line as the delimitation line between territorial seas of opposite or adjacent States.'
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!