Police break up major Mediterranean people smuggling ring as 78 arrested

Authorities attribute the illegal entry of more than 2,000 migrants to the network, generating estimated profits in excess of €24 million.

Led by the Spanish National Police and Civil Guard alongside Europol, the investigation has uncovered at least 64 irregular sea crossings since launching in 2023. Officers from France, Portugal, and Poland also assisted in the operation.

Courts have remanded 27 suspects in custody. A total of 11 arrests were made in Alicante, alongside 36 in Almería, 13 in Murcia, and further detentions across Ibiza, Cartagena, Mallorca, and mainland Spain. One suspect was arrested in Algeria.

Among those detained are four "High-Value Targets" considered key leaders, as well as the network’s hawalader — the individual responsible for managing its informal financial infrastructure.

Investigators revealed that migrants were charged up to €12,000 each for the crossing from North Africa. Gang members crammed up to 50 people into single vessels, often travelling at high speeds at night without lifejackets. In some instances, passengers were tied down to prevent them falling overboard in rough seas.

Police seized 18 high-speed vessels valued at over €5 million, fitted with up to four engines and measuring up to 14 metres in length. Searches across 17 properties yielded cash, a .38-calibre revolver, 15,000 MDMA tablets, 61kg of hashish, cocaine, and satellite navigation equipment.

Officers noted the organisation used extreme violence, maintaining ties to the "Mocro Maffia" and the Marseille underworld, with skippers instructed to ram law enforcement vessels to avoid capture.

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