Urgent warning to Brits visiting Tenerife after dark change to holiday hotspot

Tenerife successful the Canary Islands, Spain is simply a fashionable vacation destination for millions of Brits but visitors person present been warned of a 'criminal underbelly' and 'sinister side'

Tenerife is an incredibly fashionable vacation destination for millions of radical each year.

Located successful the Canary Islands, Tenerife offers prima all-year circular and its sandy beaches, crystal wide waters and entertaining nightlife marque it a cleanable spot to bask immoderate much-needed clip off. Brits flock to the confederate portion of the island, specified arsenic Playa de las Americas, Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos, each twelvemonth and that volition beryllium the aforesaid successful the coming months arsenic thousands look to pitchy disconnected for immoderate wintertime sun.

Those who sojourn Tenerife person present been warned of a "dark underbelly" that haunts the fashionable destination, however. Those heading to Playa de las Americas especially, wherever the Veronicas Strip is location to dozens of late-night bars and clubs, person been told to ticker retired for its "serious cause underworld", Irish Mirror reports.

Ciara O'Loughlin spent 2 summers moving successful Tenerife arsenic a bartender and claims the land is not each it seems, with it having a "sinister side". She claimed: "There is simply a superior cause underworld operating connected the island. It’s not hard to spot however immoderate Irish and Brits overseas tin get caught up successful occupation by innocently stepping connected the incorrect toes.

"I observed different bars profoundly progressive successful illicit activities, providing a haven for dealers passim the night. Many young workers connected the strip, oblivious to the superior risks, recovered themselves caught up successful unsafe situations linked to these dealers. Guiding drug-seeking tourists to these dealers would gain them a swift €10. In stark contrast, my person and I begged for tips conscionable to quench our thirst, dissimilar others who seemed to unrecorded without specified fiscal worries."

Ms O'Loughlin was 20 years aged erstwhile she and a person headed to Tenerife to enactment arsenic a bartender 7 years ago. Although it was an "unforgettable" experience, she said she counts herself "lucky not to person faced immoderate superior issues". The 2 summers I spent determination were surely unforgettable, but I number myself fortunate not to person faced immoderate superior issues - but for the clip my handbag was forcibly taken from maine arsenic I walked home," she said. Ms O'Loughlin continued: "Every state oregon metropolis has its problems, but these enactment destinations look to relation wrong their ain lawless microcosms. To each young radical mounting disconnected connected your archetypal enactment holiday, person fun, but enactment vigilant."