International crackdown breaks up vast Spain-Algeria migrant trafficking operation
A major international police operation led by Spain has dismantled what investigators describe as one of the largest organised criminal networks operating migrant smuggling routes across the western Mediterranean, with 78 suspects arrested and a fleet of high-speed boats seized. The investigation, coordinated by Spain’s Guardia Civil and National Police... The post International crackdown breaks…
International police forces, spearheaded by Spain, have dismantled a sprawling criminal enterprise responsible for the transportation of both migrants and illegal drugs between Spain and Algeria, according to authorities. This coordinated effort resulted in the arrest of 78 suspects and the seizure of a fleet of high-speed boats, valued at over €5 million, in a joint operation involving Spain’s Guardia Civil, National Police, and support from Europol, as well as law enforcement agencies from France, Portugal, and Poland.
The investigation, initiated by Spain in 2023, targeted a sophisticated organization that exploited the western Mediterranean route, leveraging speedboats to transport synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, from Spain to Algeria and then returning with migrants seeking entry into Spain and the island of Ibiza. Spanish investigators estimate that the group facilitated at least 64 smuggling trips, carrying more than 2,000 migrants, with profits surpassing €24 million.
The criminal organization charged migrants up to €12,000 per person and transported as many as fifty individuals on a single journey. Four alleged leaders of the organization were among those apprehended. Authorities described the sea crossings as perilous, with migrants packed tightly and subjected to hazardous conditions. Europol highlighted the organization's extensive services to other criminal groups, including boat storage, transport, refuelling, maintenance, maritime transfers, and counter-surveillance operations.
Migrants allegedly faced sexual assault, physical abuse, and lived in inhumane conditions before being transported. While the majority of irregular sea arrivals into Spain still follow the Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands, migration along the western Mediterranean corridor between Algeria and mainland Spain has surged in recent months as alternative routes have gained popularity.
This case underscores the evolving nature and financial success of criminal networks capitalizing on changing migration patterns across the region.
Written by urgent.news from Spain in English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
