Spanish Police Arrest 78 in Major Smuggling Network Raft
Spanish police, with support from Algeria and Europol, seized a fleet of 18 illicit high‑speed boats, 15,000 MDMA pills, guns, €25,000 in cash and other contraband, while arresting 78 suspects across 17 locations in Spain.
The operations targeted a trans‑Mediterranean network that moved synthetic drugs from Spain and Portugal to Algeria, then rerouted return trips to smuggle migrants, firearms and explosives into Spanish cities and Ibiza aboard so‑called "ghost speedboats"—high‑powered vessels that avoid registration and detection.
The group reportedly charged up to €12,000 (about £10,200) per migrant, with one voyage potentially carrying more than 50 people in overcrowded, unlit vessels without life jackets. Europol’s statement warns that suspects also engaged in sexual assaults, physical abuse and inhumane housing conditions for migrants.
The raid also uncovered satellite phones, GPS devices, encrypted communication tools and a satellite dish, illustrating the network’s sophisticated logistical apparatus and links to other organised crime groups in France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy and Poland.
The crackdown comes just a week after around 78,000 migrants attempted to cross into the Spanish North African territory of Ceuta in response to online rumours of an open border. Most returned to Morocco, but 3,000 to 5,000 migrants remain in Ceuta.
For further details on the broader smuggling context, read the Bundes Minister publication “The Route to Gold: Organised Crime. 2024” or follow Europol for international updates.
