The Local Police in Cartagena have seized 170 kilograms of fruit that was being sold illegally at a weekly street market, as part of an ongoing effort to combat unauthorised street vending and protect public health.
The operation was carried out on Wednesday 8th July by the Market Unit, with support from the Traffic Unit, forming part of the regular inspection and control campaigns that the police force conducts across the municipality’s markets.
During the intervention at the weekly market on Ribera de San Javier street, officers located several stalls selling melons, watermelons and peaches without the mandatory municipal licence. Furthermore, the vendors failed to provide the traceability documentation required by health regulations. Consequently, the merchandise was provisionally seized to prevent it from being sold to the public.
Local police reminded the public that this type of clandestine sale poses a risk to consumers because it takes place outside authorised distribution channels and lacks hygiene and safety controls. In addition to breaching municipal regulations, these products lack the necessary checks to verify their origin, as well as the conditions in which they have been transported and stored.
Through these operations, Cartagena City Council continues its surveillance strategy in street vending areas to ensure compliance with the law, protect consumers and safeguard the livelihood of authorised sellers. The local police announced that they will continue performing periodic inspections to detect and eliminate the illegal sale of food products and mitigate potential health risks.
