Gib tug-of-war: British and Spanish authorities lock horns as Guardia Civil officer cites 'injuries' caused by Rock police
Monday, April 28, 2014 @ 10:44 AM
FURTHER tension has broken out between the UK and Spain after a Guardia Civil officer alleged he was 'injured' by Gibraltar police after intercepting a boat carrying contraband cigarettes.
British authorities on the Rock say the Spanish police had 'committed yet another incursion' into Gibraltarian waters, and the UK embassy in Madrid has protested to the government in Spain.
In the meantime, the Spanish embassy in Britain has protested to the UK government.
The Spanish ministry of foreign affairs called a meeting yesterday (Friday) with the UK embassy after the Guardia Civil reported that their boat, the Sierra 3, had been 'crashed into' by Rock authorities whilst the former was carrying out 'monitoring and surveillance work' and 'fighting smuggling'.
They had seen a number of privately-owned yachts and speedboats in the waters off the west side Gibraltar, the part which London claims is British sea and Madrid claims is Spanish.
Three crew members on board the crafts tried to 'hide' 300 cartons of contraband cigarettes they had reportedly smuggled out of Gibraltar.
They reportedly refused to comply with the Guardia Civil's orders, saying they were in British waters and the Spanish police did not have any jurisdiction over them.
One of the Guardia Civil tried to climb into a boat to arrest the crew and sail it to the port of Algeciras (Cádiz).
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com