Caravans, motorhomes and camper vans evicted from popular Costa del Sol beauty spot
In a joint operation involving Local Police, Guardia Civil and environmental agents fifty fines have been issued to owners of vehicles parked illegally in the area
Around fifty vehicles, mostly caravans, camper vans and motorhomes owned by foreign citizens, were removed from the protected Maro-Cerro Gordo cliffs on the border of Malaga and Granada provinces in a joint operation involving environmental agents of the Junta de Andalucía, Nerja Local Police and the Guardia Civil, on Wednesday 29 October.
The vehicles were parked illegally in the Las Alberquillas, Molino de Papel, Río de la Miel and Cala del Pino beaches. After the eviction of the camped vehicles the area was cleaned up by the operational services of Nerja town hall.
The previous operation of this type was carried out in January in the same areas which resulted in two people being arrested after the removal of 100 motorhomes and more than 30 tents from the same area.
In 2024 there was also a coordinated operation with the National Police to evict campers that had set up camp on Las Alberquillas beach, where action was also taken in March with the Civil Guard to remove a number of motorhomes.
The Maro-Cerro Gordo cliffs area is of great environmental value due to the peculiarity of its geological formations and the great biodiversity it contains, both on the land and in the sea.
The Junta de Andalucía carries out surveillance and sanctioning work, as well as other improvement actions with the aim of conserving the wildlife on the Maro-Cerro Gordo cliffs, which have been protected since 1989.
Camping, illegal fishing and jet skis
Illegal parking and camping, fishing (in coordination with the fisheries inspectors), jet skis (through special services and coordination with the Guardia Civil's nature protection unit, Seprona) and anchoring boats outside permitted areas, are all controlled by the Junta de Andalucía with the help of other authorities.
Caravans, motorhomes, camper vans and the occupation of abandoned buildings cause environmental damage to the area and have led to public order problems. However, they are beyond the competence of the Junta de Andalucía in terms of environmental monitoring, according to a statement by the regional government.
Axarquía-based environmental group, Gabinete de Estudios de la Naturaleza de la Axarquía (GENA-Ecologistas en Acción) has been repeatedly denouncing in recent years the proliferation of illegal campers in the Maro-Cerro Gordo cliffs area.
