The GGCA has welcomed the decision to lift the interdiction of the two Custom Officers involved last Sunday at the border when the Spanish Proteccion Civil voluntary personnel came into Gibraltar inside a vehicle with orange beacons on the roof of the car.

A statement continued: “Officers from Gibraltar Customs are more than acquainted that in circumstances where Spanish vehicles with blue beacons try to come in to Gibraltar, to refuse entry, as the only vehicles in Spain having blue beacons are the ones which carry out a law enforcement role.

“However, there is no written policy or protocol to deny entry to Spanish vehicles coming from Spain with orange beacons like for example, the Spanish ambulance and support vehicle, Spanish tow-truck and although not having orange beacons, the Spanish Postal Service van which also comes every week through the Land Frontier.  

“All the aforementioned vehicles fall under the auspices of Spanish Ministry of Interior.  Officers from the Customs Department have raised their concerns to this Union as they feel threatened by the draconian manner by which two of their colleagues had been suspended for an act where there are no written policy guidelines or directive.  Therefore, the GGCA will be asking the Collector of Customs to produce a written departmental policy (respecting international laws) on how Customs Officers should approach these vehicles and accordingly act upon in order to avoid in the future incidents of the same nature.”