Portuguese Coast Guard Mounts Massive Operation to Seize Pastries From Beaches
How is it I have to climb into a smelly hold and count fish while the Portuguese stroll the beaches confiscating contraband pastries?
The Portuguese Coast Guard carried out a massive operation on Albufeira, Silves and Portimão beaches, seizing around 500 Bolas de Berlim, a traditional Portuguese cream filled cake that is illegal to sell on beaches due to health and safety regulations.
Bolas de Berlim used to be an extremely popular snack on Algarvean beaches during hot summer days, but they were made illegal by Health and Safety in recent times due to difficulties in preserving the cream in the heat. The Coast Guard announced that over 500 Bolas de Berlim were seized last weekend, almost all of them with cream and not correctly packed, which could pose as a threat to public health. During the operation twenty beach sellers were fined for not having licenses to sell cakes, watches, handicraft, wallets, sunglasses and other products. The Coast Guard has stated that these control operations will continue throughout the summer.
