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Secret patrols revolutionise Madrid: more than 100 fines for rubbish in one month
Madrid deploys undercover patrols to curb rubbish on public roads and, in just one month, imposes 111 penalties, 75% of them on businesses.
Madrid has made a radical change in its fight against dirty streets. In the first month of the new joint patrols by the Policía Municipal and cleaning inspectors, the City Council has imposed 111 penalties for leaving waste beside the bins.
The operation, which began barely a month ago, has been deployed particularly intensively in the districts of Centro, Salamanca, Tetuán, Puente de Vallecas and Usera. These areas have been the focus of surveillance, with officers and technical staff working discreetly to detect offences.
The commercial sector has received 75% of the fines, which can reach up to 1,100 euros. The aim is clear: to reduce abandoned rubbish and improve the city's appearance by penalising those who fail to comply with municipal rules.
The patrols, which operate undercover, aim to catch offenders in the act. The strategy has come as a surprise to residents and traders, who now view every movement near the bins with suspicion.