Mediterranean smuggling network ‘dismantled’ in Spain-led raid, 78 arrested

An extensive criminal network responsible for smuggling migrants, drugs, and weapons across the Western Mediterranean has been dismantled in a Spain-led operation involving Europol and police forces from France, Portugal, and Poland. The operation culminated on June 16 with 78 arrests and the seizure of assets, including 18 high-speed boats.

Authorities described the migrant crossings as extremely perilous, with individuals packed into overcrowded boats traveling at high speeds through rough seas, often without lights or life jackets. The organization reportedly employed extreme violence against both migrants and its own members, and even against law enforcement.

Spain's Civil Guard and National Police launched the operation in 2023. They stated it "successfully dismantled one of the most complex, active and dangerous transnational criminal networks detected to date in the Mediterranean." Of the 78 individuals detained, 77 were arrested in Spain and one in Algeria. Most of the arrested were Algerian nationals with connections to criminal groups in France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, and Poland.

Investigators revealed the network operated like a sophisticated logistics company, managing two-way smuggling routes between Europe and Algeria. They allegedly transported synthetic drugs to Algeria and brought migrants to Spain's southeastern coast and the island of Ibiza. The network is believed to have conducted at least 64 smuggling operations, bringing over 2,000 people into Spain and generating more than €24 million ($27 million) in profits. Fees per migrant could reach up to €12,000 ($13,800), with up to 50 people crammed onto a single boat. The network also provided services like vessel storage, maintenance, and counter-surveillance to other criminal organizations, moving funds through informal hawala networks to obscure financial trails.

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successfully dismantled one of the ⁠most complex, active and dangerous transnational criminal networks detected to date in the Mediterranean