Police supermarket lockdown controls to catch out-of-towners on Spain’s Costa Almeria

POLICE are carrying out extra controls at supermarkets in Almeria’s resort towns over Easter to catch out-of-towners and enforce compliance with the coronavirus crisis lockdown restrictions on movement.

Local Police have been checking on people in commercial areas and around banks and pharmacies in locations including Vera, Nijar, Carboneras, Roquetas de Mar, Garrucha and Mojacar to make sure no-one has tried to sneak down to their second residence for the long holiday weekend.

According to press reports Mojacar police have in the last few days reported 12 individuals who could not prove they are municipal residents, although the local council has pointed out that in some of those cases at least it could be the case that the individuals’ ID showed a previous address and that they do in fact live in the area.

Police and Guardia Civil controls on the starting points for vehicles coming in on the main entrance roads to the province’s coastal resorts have also been stepped up for the Easter holiday period.

Almeria Police chief Arturo Prieto told Spanish media said the force was operating “plan closure” to prevent the movement of tourists and people resident in other parts of Spain from heading for their holiday homes.