People smugglers brought to book
Gang was tracked down via adverts with 'offers' that they placed on the internet
A GANG that was shipping illegal migrants from North Africa to the coast of southeast Spain has been busted by the Guardia Civil.
They would charge their passengers up to €5,000 for the journey in high-powered boats.
The criminal group was based in Spain and, on the outgoing trip to Algeria, they would take stolen goods – such as mobile phones – which could be sold easily at below-the-market price, according to a Guardia Civil spokesman.
They also traded drugs including cocaine and methamphetamine, which are in short supply in Algeria, allowing them to make large profits from a round trip.
Between 10 and 15 migrants were packed into the small vessels, which was a ‘real risk for their lives’ due to the danger of capsizing.
This was proved in October when an incident led to the deaths of two migrants at sea, noted the spokesman – their bodies washed up several days later at the Cabo de
Gata in Almería.
He explained that the gang would arrange for several boats to leave the Algerian coast at the same time in order to make the job of the Spanish security forces more difficult.
Adverts on the internet
Guardia Civil detectives discovered a number of adverts placed on the internet, in which the gang publicised ‘offers’ to take migrants to Spain via illegal routes.
The spokesman noted that the gang was divided into three parts – logistics, running of the boats and trip organisation.
Their ‘base port’ was Almería, where they kept the vessels.
This was the start point for the journeys to North Africa to pick up the migrants, who were then deposited at different points along the south-east coast of Spain.
A total of 19 people have been arrested in connection with the racket, with a judge remanding 16 of the suspects in custody.
As part of the operation, 17 boats have been impounded.
Officers carried out seven raids on properties and farms, which allowed them to seize €48,000 in cash, 90,000 ecstasy pills, more than 600 grams of ‘very pure’ cocaine and mobile phones, some of which had been stolen.