Travel Safety Alert: How to Avoid Drink Spiking

Drink-spiking incidents are troubling tourists in Spain’s Costa del Sol. Never leave your drink unattended, and always watch it being made. (Photo: iStock/MilosJokic)

By Billie Cohen

Beware men in sparkling green costumes. That’s one lesson from a drink-spiking incident in Spain’s Costa del Sol this week. The other lesson: Watch your drink at all times.

As Irish tourist Andy Quirke told the News.com.au, he and his girlfriend Grace Power were at a bar in Puerto Banus when a group of performers distracted the couple with a magic show at their table. During the performance, the sparkly-dressed magician asked for their phone and its unlock code to take a picture (hoping it was the same as their ATM code, Quirke suggests). While that was happening, one of the other performers allegedly dosed Power’s drink.

Power collapsed shortly after, and Quirke was able to get her to a hospital, where a blood test confirmed she had indeed been drugged. The report goes on to say that the hospital had seen 12 other drink-spiking attacks that same week, and that liquid ecstasy, ketamine, and Rohypnol are the most commonly used agents.

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A Spanish newspaper, the Olive Press, has been trying to bring this type of scam to light for more than a year, soon after BBC golf presenter Alan Tait was beaten and robbed while on vacation in the Costa del Sol in April 2014. At the time, he told the Telegraph, “The Spanish police said they hear about this sort of thing all the time—but we rarely hear about it.”

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Tait’s incident is one of many similar (and sometimes scarier) ordeals reported in the Costa del Sol over the past few years, some resulting in theft and others in sexual assault. This was not news to the Olive Press, and so it launched a campaign in conjunction with the Marbella Town Hall and the city’s official radio station, Mi Marbella, to compile more records on drink-spiking in the Costa del Sol region, to raise more awareness of the crime, and to encourage better police response.

Drink-spiking isn’t limited to this region of Spain of course, and it’s always smart to be careful in bars and party settings. The spate of attacks in nightlife areas around the world has even led to some tech innovations to help keep party people safe. For instance, a UK company called Spikey created a one-time use stopper-straw combo that fits into beer bottles. And last year, buzz began for the pd.id (short for Personal Drink ID), a USB-sized gadget that can be dipped into your drink to determine whether it’s been tampered with. A green light means it’s okay; a red light means get a new drink. The gadget was being crowd-funded last summer but doesn’t seem to be in production just yet.

Here’s what you need to know to keep yourself safe in the meantime.

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Symptoms to watch for:

Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, and blacking out, which is why it’s so important to tell a friend immediately if you don’t feel right — and do not let them leave you alone.

How to avoid drink-spiking:

Don’t let strangers buy you drinks.

Don’t drink anything you didn’t see poured or opened.

Keep your drink with you at all times and keep it covered — don’t leave it unattended where anyone can drop something into it.

If you don’t feel well, tell a friend immediately and have them take you somewhere safe. Similarly, keep an eye on your friends; if they collapse or feel dizzy, call for an ambulance. Do not leave them alone.

If you’re on a date, meet (and stay) in a public place; tell a friend where you are going and have them check in on you or pick you up. As always, watch your drinks being made and do not leave it unattended.

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