By Euro Weekly News Media • Published: 21 May 2014 • 9:20
Gibraltar: Increased border checks.
Monday and Tuesday saw Spain’s Guardia Civil intensify their checks at the Gibraltar border, with drivers going into Spain hit by two-hour queues.
The queues persisted throughout the morning, meaning that it took, on average, around 90 minutes to leave Gibraltar.
Evening queues have long been routine at the border, but it is highly to be detained for this length of time during the day.
The increased border checks follow in the wake of the Spanish Government warning just a few days ago that it would be necessary to step up border controls in order to stamp down on cigarette smuggling.
PSOE President of the Junta de Andalucia, Susana Diaz, has written to the central government in Madrid to urge it to ease off on controls that have become “a heavy burden” for cross-border workers.
Ms Diaz proposed a number of recommendations, including altering the times of the checks so that they don’t conflict with peak crossing times.
Many are arguing that the queues are political, rather than a crackdown on illegal activities.
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