Catania police fine illegal vendors and shut down restaurants in major crackdown

The State Police coordinated a multi‑agency operation in Catania’s historic centre, focusing on the San Cristoforo and San Berillo districts. Inspectors inspected nine commercial premises – six bars, a bakery, a delicatessen and a kiosk – and found numerous breaches such as illegal occupation of public space, missing price lists, unauthorised awnings, smoking‑area violations and, in one case, a kiosk built on a trailer with illegal overhead power cables. The violations resulted in administrative penalties totalling more than €7,000.

During the same sweep, three street‑vendor stalls fled when police arrived, abandoning merchandise that police seized, including suspected counterfeit sports shoes. A second phase of the operation placed traffic checkpoints throughout the centre, detecting offences like missing documents, lack of vehicle inspection, driving without a licence or helmet, and illegal parking in pedestrian zones.

Separate but concurrent inspections targeted two downtown restaurants, uncovering serious irregularities that led to fines of over €80,000 and the suspension of two eateries for labour‑law violations and hygiene problems such as cockroach infestations.