Nov 25 - Chief Minister Extends Tobacco Free ‘Special Zones’ to Frontier and Winston Churchill Avenue
Following the recommendations made by the European Commission to the Gibraltar Government this month, regarding tobacco smuggling, the Chief Minister has today extended the powers of Customs and the Royal Gibraltar Police to stop and search individuals and direct then out of new ‘Special Zones’ extending from the Frontier to the Sundial Roundabout on Winston Churchill Avenue.
These Special Zones have been outlined in a legal notice in The Notice of Declaration of Special Zones Etc (Amendment) 2013. The Government claims that the effect of the declaration is also to make it an offence in these areas to request or procure any other person to export or assist with the exportation of cigarettes by land.
These new powers will allow law enforcement agencies to arrest individuals seen attempting to conceal more than the legal quantity of cigarettes, within Special Zones. A No.6 spokesperson today insisted that since the election of this Government, the Chief Minister has used the powers contained in the Tobacco Act to create former Special Zones from Western Beach across to Eastern Beach and covering the whole are from the frontier fence to the Airport.
Mr. Picardo noted that this extension of power comes as part of his commitment to provide ‘the tools for the enforcement of the Tobacco Act by Customs and the Royal Gibraltar Police which is designed to deal with the unacceptable social problems that the tobacco business is creating in certain areas of Gibraltar.
He added, ‘this is in addition to the stopping of retailing of tobacco (other than with vending machines) in the residential estates of Laguna and Glacis. Further measures will shortly be introduced to assist even further in addressing these issues. The relevant law enforcement agencies in Gibraltar know they can count on this Government's full support in respect of their work to control illicit activity, which is in breach of the provisions of the Tobacco Act.’
