Andorra Confiscates Valuables from Spanish Tourists for Minor Drug Fines

Andorra's Batllia judicial authority has continued its practice into 2026 of confiscating valuables from non-residents arrested for minor offences, ensuring payment of fines before release. Two Spanish tourists caught with small amounts of drugs in the year's opening days faced this measure after quick hearings.

The first incident occurred on the afternoon of 1 January at the Pas de la Casa border crossing. Police stopped a Spanish-registered car driven by a 40-year-old male tourist. A search uncovered 0.5 grams of cocaine, 4.2 grams of marijuana, and 2.1 grams of hashish in his possession, leading to his arrest.

The second case unfolded early on 2 January at a hotel on Avinguda Meritxell in Andorra la Vella. Hotel staff alerted police to a couple's argument in a guest room. Officers spotted a suspicious package containing 22.88 grams of marijuana and three ecstasy pills, which the 34-year-old male tourist admitted were his. He was detained and taken to police headquarters.

Both men, non-residents, appeared before the Batllia for rapid proceedings under penal ordinances. They received the minimum fines outlined in the penal code: €500 each for the toxic drugs (cocaine in one case, ecstasy in the other) and €250 for the non-toxic marijuana, plus under €100 in court costs—totalling around €800 per person. No prison time was imposed, only a minor conditional arrest unlikely to be enforced for tourists.

One paid immediately and was freed. The other lacked sufficient funds, so authorities retained his mobile phone as collateral to guarantee eventual payment. Officials select such items—phones, vehicles, or jewellery—based on their value relative to the fine, avoiding jail while securing compliance. The policy, long used for non-residents, persists unchanged this year.