A police operation at eight west Algarve beaches led to the identification of 33 illegal vendors last Friday.
Twelve officers from the Maritime Police seized 1,178 pieces of cheap jewellery, 540 pairs of sunglasses, 481 items of clothing, 157 watches, 20 wallets and 148 custard-filled donuts (bolas de Berlim), said Commandant Cruz Martins from the Portimão Port.
Among the illegal vendors were 10 Senegalese, eight Moroccan, six Brazilian, four from Bangladesh, two from Bulgaria, one Indian, one Chinese and one Portuguese.
The police operation, carried out at Praia da Rocha, Careanos, Armação de Pêra, Rocha Baixinha, Galé, Oura, Peneco and Inatel, followed complaints from beachgoers who felt harassed by the vendors.
Two of those men identified were even in possession of Multibanco payment machines, which the authorities described as “new sophisticated methods” used for illegal vending. The 33 individuals will each be fined up to €2,500.
