Two British vacationers have been arrested in Ibiza, where they allegedly tried to escape from the cruise ship without paying a large room service bill. Spanish police detained the pair at Ibiza airport, a 23-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman, after being reportedly left the ship in a baggage “in a hurry.”
Ibiza national police said the couple had stopped at the island's airport on Wednesday (May 21). They are accused of leaving the ship without paying an invoice worth 3,134 Euros. This costs around £2,685. A police spokesman confirmed his arrest in a statement shared Thursday. “On Wednesday, Spanish national police officers arrested a 23-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman, as they were both British authors suspected of criminal fraud and refused to refusal to spend some while they were staying at cruiser Reiner,” the statement said.
“The couple refused to pay for the expenses related to the holiday at around 3pm on May 21st and tried to hurry up leaving the cruise liner with their luggage.”
It is understood that the pair tried to push past crews in when they left the ship. Police were called to the port and began a search operation, leading to their arrest three hours later at 6pm.
It is unknown which cruisers are traveling together, and it has not yet been confirmed whether they have appeared in court.
The incident sparked protests among residents and concerns from local officials as Ibiza continues to crack down on public tourism.
As part of an effort to control the number of visitors and traffic on the island, new rules have been introduced this summer that limit the number of cars rentals and impose a tourism tax of 1 euro per day on vehicles.
Ibiza's council concluded the number of car rentals allowed this season at 16,000.
Approximately 74 companies have been allocated, and the largest operators have now faced higher rates based on the size of the fleet.
The new rules also mean that anyone bringing their cars to the island will need daily permits and will have to pay a fee that applies between June and the end of September.
Ramon Reus, head of the Balearic Islands Vehicle Rental Association, said the move was welcomed and part of a broader responsibility to alleviate road congestion.
“Let's see how summer works. As islands, we have to work together to create a better place,” he told Periodico de Ibiza.
Despite opposition from several quarter, including an appeal by shipping company Baleària, the council says the measure reflects the hopes of Ibizan people and is likely to go as planned.
