A large-scale police operation in Ceuta, Malaga, and Cadiz has resulted in the arrest of eleven people suspected of being part of an organized crime group involved in smuggling migrants from North Africa into Spain. Two more suspects are under investigation. The operation began early in the morning and drew significant attention among local residents.
According to investigators, the group operated under a well-coordinated scheme. First, they found people in Morocco who wanted to cross into Europe. Then they secretly transported them to Ceuta using small boats. After arrival, the migrants were hidden in pre-arranged safe houses to avoid detection.
The next stage was illegally transferring the migrants to mainland Spain. For this, the group used recreational boats heading for the Andalusian coast. On land, other members of the group met the migrants and distributed them across different cities in the region.
Five arrests took place in Ceuta, four in Algeciras (Cadiz), and two other suspects were caught in the town of Coin (Malaga). In addition, two more people are under investigation—one in Ceuta and another in Algeciras. During searches, police found nine individuals being prepared for transfer to the mainland.
The operation involved various police units, including officers who arrived from the mainland to conduct searches and arrests. The large police presence did not go unnoticed: many residents witnessed the events, especially in the morning hours when children were on their way to schools and lyceums.
