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Large Group From Spain Hurl Rocks at Customs & Police!
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Panorama carried a full length REPORT IN January with photos regarding our concern at the lack of security on the eastern side of the Rock, the end of eastern beach, which had become a ‘gate-way for the smuggling of cigarettes into La Linea’.
Yesterday there was a serious incident in this same area where a large group of about 20 to 25 Spanish youths/men were apparently coming over to this end of the road by the tunnel works, when they came up against the presence of customs officers who were in a marked vehicle, these men set upon the officers by throwing rocks, stones and even small boulders of all sizes.
The gang who were obviously on their way into Gibraltar to smuggle cigarettes over the fence intensified their criminal act and continued throwing these missiles to the customs officers who by this time had called for back-up as they were being overpowered.
The RGP arrived and the Spaniards continued in their demeanour and did not desist in throwing missiles of all shapes and sizes, more back up, we understand, was called for and riot/protection type shields made there way to the scene.
There was no let up from the gang in question who only disappeared from the area when the guardia civil arrived on the other side together with an official who we believe was from the mayor’s office.
Substantial damage was caused to the customs vehicle, although our information is that no injury was caused to any of the officers concerned.
The area in question has been a concern to many people, and although there has been an increase in the amount of tobacco arrests particularly since the elections, this area of Gibraltar has remained in a security perspective ‘very poor’. Today's incident proves it.
We are also informed that the Chief Minister himself visited the area shortly after the incident subsided and after viewing the area has ordered a complete overhaul of security particularly regarding the fencing in order to deter these people coming onto Gibraltar at leisure.
In our report on this matter earlier this year we said that Eastern Beach area (mainly because of the disastrous tunnel works) has become a magnet for Spanish cigarette smugglers. The protective security fence (if you can call it that) at the end of the beach, which is there to prohibit access onto the area leading to the end of the runway is no more than an excuse for a protective fence, as it protects and secures nothing! The fence in question has holes and has been criminally and purposely damaged allowing very easy unimpeded access to the other side, which is basically a simple climb onto the prohibited area and a nice steady jog or sprint if you like over into La Linea, you don’t even have to climb in other parts of the fence.
Our reporter at the time went down to eastern beach to see for himself and said: ‘I went down to eastern beach over the weekend and took some close up photos of the fence. It is extremely easy to practically ‘walk, crawl under or just hop over the fence’; in fact smugglers or anyone else has a choice how you want to cross over, pretty pathetic when you consider there’s a runway yards away, the matter is a major lapse in security, a very poor border control if you can call that!
01-06-12
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