Jupol: Tenerife Police Store Drugs in Minors' Cells

The Jupol union filed a complaint on March 3 with the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office, highlighting a practice at the National Police's Provincial Station in Tenerife. The union believes this practice breaks rules for holding minors and makes the station less safe. According to Jupol, at least one cell meant for young detainees is regularly used to store drugs seized by police.

This situation raises serious concerns about the protection of children's rights, as minors in custody require specific and different rules. It also questions the proper handling of evidence. Keeping drugs in a cell, which is not designed for their storage, could pose health risks for both police staff and detainees, and it compromises the overall security of the premises.

The union attributes this decision to a direct order from Raúl Contreras, head of the Territorial Operational Coordination Unit (UCOP). Police officers present reportedly stated that the instruction to keep the drugs in the cell area was given forcefully, despite warnings about the dangers involved.

Following complaints from staff and union representatives, a "verbal counter-order" was reportedly issued. This new instruction states that officers working in the cells must switch with south security personnel every two hours, citing health risks from the drugs. It also advises keeping a door open for ventilation when possible. Jupol believes this measure shows that commanders implicitly recognize the risk. However, the union finds it "unacceptable," arguing that opening cell doors to ventilate a space with drugs directly endangers police officers and undermines the system for keeping detainees secure.

As a result, the union has reported this issue to several authorities, including the Provincial Chief, UCOP, the Canary Islands' Occupational Risk Prevention Technician, and both the regional and national Safety and Health Committees. They have also asked the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office to intervene. Jupol warns that this practice should not become normal within the National Police, seeing it as a sign of a "worrying lack of control and planning" in how seized evidence is managed.