Crackdown on Illegal Parties Hiring Unknown Foreigners
"Unrealistic" Criticism Arises
Domestic 'Late-Night Illegal Business' Also a Problem
Ibiza Island, famous as a tourist attraction in Spain, plans to crack down on illegal parties to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Photo by Ibiza Official Tourism Site Instagram Capture
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Ibiza Island, famous as a tourist destination in Spain, has taken a drastic measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The authorities plan to hire foreign undercover agents in their 30s and 40s to catch 'illegal parties,' which are suspected to be the main cause of cluster infections.
On the 2nd (local time), according to the British media 'The Guardian,' the Ibiza Island authorities are promoting a plan to deploy young foreign agents in their 30s and 40s to party venues to find gatherings that violate COVID-19 quarantine regulations and report them.
Ibiza Island is a famous tourist spot in Spain, attracting tourists from all over the world who enjoy clubs, parties, and other entertainment. However, Ibiza Island is currently facing a serious situation as the number of COVID-19 cases has sharply increased. According to the Ibiza Island authorities, the COVID-19 incidence rate in the area reached 1,814 cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks.
Currently, Ibiza Island only allows small outdoor events, most nightclubs have closed, and restaurant and bar operations are limited to small-scale. Despite these strong quarantine guidelines, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, and the authorities are pointing to 'illegal parties' as the main culprit of cluster infections.
Accordingly, the authorities are reportedly considering hiring foreign agents to monitor and report illegal parties. It is explained that local residents are already known to the community, making it difficult to infiltrate party sites, so external help is needed.
However, the Spanish Socialist Party, which leads the local government including Ibiza Island, opposes this idea. Vicente Torres, spokesperson for the Socialist Party, criticized the 'foreign undercover agent' idea as "irresponsible" and urged, "Present serious measures with legal grounds."
An employee caught by the crackdown team while hiding in a secret room of a nightlife bar / Photo by Goyang-si, Deogyang-gu, Gyeonggi
Meanwhile, as the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, many countries are struggling with issues such as illegal parties and entertainment business operations.
In South Korea, there have been several recent cases of illegal business operations violating gathering bans. Recently, some even created 'secret rooms' to evade crackdown teams and operate covertly.
According to Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, on the 30th of last month, a nightlife establishment was caught conducting illegal late-night operations by a crackdown team.
At the time, the crackdown team responded to a complaint that the establishment was secretly operating with its doors closed. They forcibly opened the closed entrance and entered, finding only the owner and two employees inside.
However, the crackdown team checked alcohol and side dishes in the kitchen and searched the building, discovering that a door marked as an entrance to a lounge on the building plan was blocked by a bookshelf. After investigation, the team found a hidden room behind the bookshelf and caught four customers and seven employees hiding there.
The district plans to file criminal charges against a total of 13 people, including the business owner and users, for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act.
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