The Ministry of the Interior has taken stock of Operation Summer, deployed in the autonomous communities that receive a greater influx of visitors, and has highlighted the number of reports drawn up for drug possession: up to 40,000 reports.
Operation Summer deployed this year by the Ministry of the Interior in the autonomous communities that receive a greater influx of visitors in the summer season – and in those that have powers in the matter -, and has resulted in a total of 377,182 people identified and 40,018 reports issued for drug possession.
This Summer Operation has been carried out in Andalusia, Asturias, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, the Valencian Community, Galicia, Madrid and Murcia between July 1 and August 31, as well as in the Balearic Islands, where it lasted until August 30. of September.
A total of 45,417 police officers have participated in the operation: 24,739 national police officers and 20,678 Civil Guard agents deployed.
The objectives of the security strategy in these tourist areas were to reinforce the police presence in territories that receive a large influx of both national and foreign visitors in the summer to prevent an increase in crime levels linked to tourism; provide faster and more effective attention to those harmed by criminal acts, and generate a feeling of greater security among tourists.
The breadth of police deployment has allowed for increased surveillance and preventive control on urban and interurban communication routes, stations, ports, airports, hotels, beaches and campsites; reinforce security measures at shows and events that involve large concentrations of masses; enhance the investigative work of the Judicial Police units and streamline and facilitate the procedures in the complaint offices.
Some of the indicators of the work carried out by the agents who have participated in Operation Summer are the following. Firstly, 9,058 humanitarian services and other aid to tourists who were involved in compromising situations. Secondly, 98,196 vehicles were controlled. Likewise, 377,182 people were identified. Fourthly, 40,018 drug seizure reports and 5,769 weapons seizure reports were opened. Finally, up to 970 establishments were inspected and/or reported for drug use.
Operation Summer was designed in Instruction 4/2023, of June 13, 2023, of the Secretary of State for Security, Rafael Pérez. Government delegates in the communities included in its scope of application have participated in its deployment, who have strengthened the coordination of the State Security Forces and Corps with the regional and local police forces through the Security Boards, which have held a total of 420 meetings to optimize police operations and avoid duplication of actions.
In addition, local officials from the National Police and Civil Guard have maintained more than 5,000 contacts and meetings these months with the directors, managers or heads of establishments and businesses in the tourism sector.
The extensive police deployment of Operation Summer 2023 has been possible thanks to the fact that, this summer, the National Police and the Civil Guard have reached a total of 156,453 agents between both forces, the largest number of troops in history.
The previous historical maximum had been set in December 2011, when the State Security Forces and Corps registered a total of 155,149 troops. As of that date, the National Police and Civil Guard staff experienced a marked reduction process that led to both staff in December 2017 totaling only 142,072 troops.
