A major international law enforcement operation has dismantled one of the largest criminal networks responsible for smuggling migrants, drugs, and weapons across the western Mediterranean. According to Europol, 78 individuals were arrested in Spain and Algeria during the bust, which targeted a group that had evolved into a dual-flow criminal enterprise designed to maximize illicit profits.
The investigation revealed that the network utilized a fleet of high-powered speedboats, including prohibited "ghost speedboats" designed to evade registration and detection, to transport cargo and people. The group operated along established routes, moving synthetic drugs like MDMA, firearms, and explosives from Spain and Portugal toward Algeria. On the return journey, the vessels were used to smuggle migrants into the Spanish mainland and the island of Ibiza. Europol reported that the network charged up to €12,000 per person for these crossings, with each trip potentially carrying over 50 migrants. It is estimated that profits from migrant smuggling alone exceeded €24 million.
Beyond trafficking, the network is linked to a range of criminal activities, including violent robberies, extortion, illegal detentions, and money laundering. Investigators reported that the suspects, who were primarily of Algerian origin, subjected migrants to inhumane conditions, including physical abuse and sexual assault, often keeping them in makeshift housing. The group also provided services to other organized crime syndicates, facilitating the movement of illicit goods across France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, and Poland.
The sting operation, led by Spanish police, involved coordinated searches across 17 locations in Spain, including Alicante, AlmerÃa, Cartagena, and Murcia. Authorities seized significant evidence, including 18 high-speed vessels valued at approximately €5 million, 15,000 MDMA pills, guns, and over €25,000 in cash. Officers also recovered sophisticated tools used by the traffickers, such as satellite phones, GPS devices, and encrypted communication equipment.
This law enforcement action follows a period of heightened migration activity in the region, including a recent surge where roughly 78,000 migrants reached the Spanish North African territory of Ceuta. While most of those individuals have since returned to Morocco, local officials estimate that between 3,000 and 5,000 remain in the exclave.
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