The most expensive cigarette in the world? A young man in Spain gets 6,000 euro fine for handing it to a friend

The unusual incident happened six months ago and lawyer Felipe Serra, who is now handling the case, believes the Spanish police officers only showed an interest because both boys are migrants

Ó. De la Dueña

BARCELONA.

Wednesday, 28 December 2022, 18:42

An 18-year-old from Oliva has been fined 6,000 euros by the regional government in Catalonia for giving a cigarette to a friend in the street, even though there was no indication that the recipient was going to smoke it.

The incident in question happened last summer, when the two lads had met in a park. The younger teenager asked his friend if he could have a cigarette, although he didn’t ask for a light or say whether he intended to smoke it or give it to someone else.

The older boy, who says he didn’t know his friend was 17 and therefore under age, gave him a cigarette but at that precise moment a police patrol went by and the two officers saw him open the packet and hand a cigarette over. They then approached the boys and asked to see their identification.

Lawyer plans to appeal

Lawyer Felipe Serra, who is now handling the case, believes the police only showed an interest because both boys are immigrants.

“It makes you think that must be why they approached them, when all one of them did was take a cigarette out of a packet which is a normal thing to do,” he said.

The letter with the fine came as a terrible shock to the family, because although the parents are working they earn very little.

Serra is not prepared to let the matter drop. “We are going to appeal against this, because it could ruin the life of a young man who is working hard at his studies and was not aware that he was doing anything wrong,” he said.

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