‘Rave Detectives’ are a thing as Spanish officials look to infiltrate illegal parties.

Ibiza has been clamping down on illegal parties recently. The nightlife body OCIO has already proposed rules banning DJs that have played any illegal party during the pandemic from gigging on the white isle.

The latest prong of attack from the Spanish government comes in the form of the hiring of ‘rave detectives’. Spanish officials are recruiting 30-40-year-old foreigners to infiltrate and report illegal parties as COVID cases continue to skyrocket.

Cases on the Spanish mainland have been falling over the last few weeks but, the Balearic islands paint a different picture. A new surge of COVID cases have emerged and threatens any ease of lockdown measures. As with many other countries, nightlife takes the brunt of the accusations when it comes to positive tests.

The party island has been widely closed during the COVID pandemic. In recent months, some of the hotspot venues have reopened with outdoor dance floors and reduced capacity. The bulk of the strip remains shut.

Recent reports suggest that illegal parties have taken place throughout the lockdown where upgraded restrictions could now see fines of up to 600,000 Euros for party organisers.

Consell’s Mariano Juan told Dario de Ibiza: “[Illegal Parties] are not only an issue related to public order, which they have always been, but now they pose an obvious risk to people’s health. Police themselves say it’s difficult for them to infiltrate, as they aren’t known to locals. So we have to look outside for help.”

The emergence and continuation of these parties are delaying any return to nightlife in Ibiza. The Police have begun to crack down even more by hiring external forces.

“It’s not easy as the profile we’re looking for is foreigners between 30 and 40 years old, but we have been working on it for two weeks,” Juan told Dario de Ibiza. “I have no doubt that it will be up and running this summer… it’s a necessity to safeguard the health situation in Ibiza.”