Spanish police control 199 travelers from third countries arriving from Italy on 12 flights

Spanish police conducted random border checks on 199 travelers from third countries arriving in Spain via Italy on Saturday. The operation, which took place at six airports including Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat, is part of Spain's response to the migration situation in Italy.

The Ministry of the Interior reported that the checks covered the period from midnight to 9 PM on Saturday. The largest number of travelers, 83 non-EU nationals, were controlled on a flight from Rome to Madrid.

In Barcelona, 67 passengers from third countries on flights from Milan and Rome were checked. Valencia saw 33 people controlled on three flights from Cagliari, Naples, and Bari. Sevilla checked 11 passengers from two flights originating in Bologna and Florence, while Bilbao controlled five travelers from Rome. Alicante had three flights included in the operation, but no checks were performed on non-EU citizens.

These random checks are specifically targeting travelers from Italy. Their purpose is to verify the status of non-European Union citizens who might subsequently travel to Spain. The initiative involves border surveillance measures implemented by Spanish authorities, with at least 27 police officers participating in the checks on Saturday.