Laurence Dollimore
A PAIR of plain-clothed police officers didn’t have to work too hard to find violators of the COVID-19 restrictions in Madrid at the weekend.
While patrolling the Tetuan neighbourhood in the capital, a man approached them offering ‘alcohol, girls and parties’ at a secret club located on the third floor of a building on Calle Marques de Viana.
He said he was PR for the club and was in charge of being ‘on the lookout for cops.’
According to police, the undercover officers took the man up on his offer and entered the illegal establishment at around 3.45am on Saturday.
The space consisted of one room containing a bar, with drinks going for €20 each, while another room was reserved for sex workers and their clients.
There were around 30 sex workers in the club at the time and dozens of clients.
No one was wearing a mask or respecting COVID-19 measures, police said.
The officers identified themselves before handing out 75 fines for various offences.
With fines for breaking COVID-19 rules starting out at €100, it means a total of at least €7,500 in sanctions.
However the owner of the establishment is likely to have received a much higher fine.
It comes as Madrid continues to be the worst hit region during the so-called second-wave of coronavirus.
It is one of the few regions to register more than 1,000 new cases each day.
