On a Sunday evening in Madrid, two National Police intelligence officers arrived at the home of a subcontracted technician working remotely for a security firm hired by the Ministry of the Interior. His children were at home, and he declined their request to cooperate voluntarily rather than leave them alone. A child protection officer came to the door. Sources called the scene "science fiction."
Police took the technician to the station at 20:00, where he stayed until 08:00 the next morning. No lawyer was present. He refused to answer some questions, citing confidentiality tied to his work in Ceuta. The session was intense. People close to the case say such treatment was extreme for someone who was not under arrest.
In late September and early October 2026, Judge María Tardón summoned Ceuta's president Juan Jesús Vivas and former government delegation chief Gonzalo Sanz to testify as witnesses, as the investigation expanded.
The technician had worked on a report for Judge María Tardón of the Audiencia Nacional, intended to clarify what happened during the mass crossing of migrants into Ceuta at the end of July. Judge Tardón had shielded police officers on the case from reporting to their direct bosses. New investigations have since begun, reportedly led by officers close to the leadership selected by Fernando Grande-Marlaska. The National Police say they are only collecting statements about entry points and asylum files. They deny questioning witnesses. But the investigation relies on technical evidence, including sensitive data such as security-camera footage and biometric records, handled by subcontracted IT specialists like this technician.
Security-camera images from Ceuta during the border breach are expected to figure prominently in the final report. Some sources believe recent police actions aim to steer the outcome and retain control. With protected officers out of reach, attention has shifted to subcontractors. One source put it bluntly: "They do not want surprises. They want to control the story and prevent the case from slipping out of their hands."
Information from RTVE and other Spanish media, the Audiencia Nacional is treating the mass entry into Ceuta as a potential 'serious attack on territorial integrity.' The investigation is examining whether the event was spontaneous or organized, including possible planning and active guidance by Moroccan security forces.
After the interrogation, the technician requested medical leave and a new assignment within his company. He said he was afraid and stressed. People close to him say the public needs to know what happened. They warn that without an official record of his statement, he is exposed. The episode has fueled fears that the final report to Judge Tardón could be manipulated. Some fear outright coercion.
The investigation began after migrants entered Ceuta en masse on July 30 and 31. On August 3, Judge Tardón ordered several reports from the National Police and other agencies. She wanted to know whether a criminal group had organized the event and asked the Guardia Civil whether it had received any warnings. The National Police’s Center for Immigration and Borders (CENIF) produced a 55-page report with video annexes. It pointed to Moroccan agents managing the border breach. Marlaska was angered by the report, which he learned about through the media. He demanded answers from police director general Francisco Pardo, who denied that it blamed Moroccan forces for planning or carrying out the breach. The Guardia Civil’s five-page report sidestepped the basic issues and offered little detail.
The legal process began after the Iustitia Europa party filed a complaint. That same day, Ceuta’s government raised the official death toll near the Tarajal breakwater to 88. The number of migrants still in Ceuta is unclear. Local president Juan Vivas estimates that about 8,000 remain. Judge Tardón has since ordered a dozen reports. The government may soften some; others could contain facts uncomfortable for Morocco. So far, only two have been delivered: one from a subcontracted aerial imaging firm and another from the Prime Minister’s office. The latter included documents declassified by Pedro Sánchez, which showed that the CNI had warned Ceuta’s government delegate about the coming crisis. The PSOE interprets the documents differently.
This case exposes a fierce fight over information and narrative in Spain’s most sensitive border crisis. Pressure on a subcontracted technician, outside normal legal protections, shows how far authorities may go to shape the official story before it reaches court. As the investigation continues, the handling of evidence and the treatment of those who manage it will test Spain’s transparency and institutional integrity on migration and border security.
