Police in Torrevieja arrested three people for an alleged drug trafficking offence during a joint operation carried out by the Local Police and the Guardia Civil during the early hours of October 17th to 18th.
The operation involved inspecting six gaming arcades, two pubs, and a nightclub. Alongside the three arrests, officers filed 18 complaint reports for illegal possession of narcotic substances and another two for carrying weapons in unauthorised locations.
The operation also led to four reports for breaches in controlling the access of people who were banned from entering the establishments.
These actions were joined by two reports for breaking the ban on smoking inside gaming arcades and another for providing a terrace service at one of these establishments despite that activity being prohibited. In total, the operation resulted in three arrests and 27 complaint reports for various offences.
More and more gaming arcades
The inspection took place in a city where the gaming arcade sector, which extends its opening hours past three in the morning, has traditionally had a high presence, which has grown in recent years.
Torrevieja has about 35 establishments of this type, which face barely any restrictions if they meet the legal requirements of regional and national legislation. They attract the public with the usual appeal of slot machines, having incorporated sports betting and a hospitality service with very competitive prices over the last fifteen years. Card payments are not accepted. All income is in cash.
The venues in Torrevieja account for more than 30 percent of the more than 90 operating across the 27 municipalities of the Vega Baja. Some of them, such as the one located on Calle Acarretos, are situated just metres away from a children’s play area.
At that time, the region recorded 2.4 gaming arcades for every 10,000 residents, which is more than double the average for the Valencian Community.
