Just over a week ago, Palma Town Hall demolished illegal works and then tore down two marquees at the Son Banya shanty town.
The drugs clans have been determined to follow their plan of separating Son Banya into residential and trading areas. Drugs are no longer sold from individual shanties. This is to prevent whole families being arrested when there are raids. The police won't find any evidence of drugs in these homes, which used to be the case.
In the trading area, sales booths were established and then temporarily replaced by the marquees in order to provide cover from drones filming drugs transactions.
Past the entrance to Son Banya is the area where 'customers' can drive in. Having been thwarted twice in the past ten days, the clans have now erected two new shacks to serve as sales booths. While they are for illicit trade, they are also in breach of planning regulations. There is no town hall permission, just as there wasn't for the previous work and the marquees. The clans' attitude is that they will continue committing these planning violations - "The town is ours."
Made with planks, corrugated iron and tarpaulins, they were constructed overnight. Palma Police have stepped up surveillance, but this is typically during the day. The town hall's view is that the clans can build what they want. It will quickly be demolished; heavy machinery will be sent in as often as is necessary. The police say: "One of the two will have to give in, and it won't be us."
1 comment
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
The island is theirs by the looks of it.