[Trending News] It is a common practice in drivers in Portugal and can lead to fines of 20 thousand euros in Spain – RFM

Disclosing Stop operations is a very common practice in Portugal. Surely, you have at least one Facebook sharing group, telegram or even WhatsApp, so that, on those days when you go out at night, know where the police are walking and you can fire. Now, this very Portuguese practice is punishable in Spain with fines that can reach 20 thousand euros.

Spain's General Traffic Directorate has decided to harden the penalties for those who publicize Stop operations on social networks. Recently, a Vigo Court has condemned an administrator of a WhatsApp group and 20 more users warning about the location of police controls. The sanctions ranged from 600 euros for each warning to group members and 1,200 euros for the head of chat management. The case had great repercussion and led to the closing of several groups, whose responsible preferred to end the activities to risk facing heavy sanctions.

The new Spanish legislation is still in the refinement phase, but there are already legal bases to apply sanctions based on the citizen security law. Authorities argue that such notices compromise investigations ongoing and facilitate the escape of offenders, especially in combating organized crime and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In recent times, agents have infiltrated the sharing groups of this information, which led to the application of the first fines. Meanwhile, WhatsApp and Telegram group administrators in Spain have manifested concern about the lack of clarity to what extent security forces can access these conversations without a court order. However, the general rule remains that only fixed radars can be legally disclosed, as the Spanish General Directorate itself publicly provides this information.