Gibraltar Police Bust Major Moroccan Migrant Smuggling Ring, Dozens Arrested

This network was so well organized that it allowed the crossing of the border for several migrants. In total, more than 130 Moroccan citizens were able to reach Spain, according to the Gibraltar police, an enclave located at the southern tip of Spain.

According to the joint statement from the Gibraltar and Spanish police, the traffickers charged between 7,000 and 8,000 euros for these migrants from various Moroccan cities. These forgers, in turn, provided the migrants with fake tourist visas for the United Kingdom. Once in Gibraltar, the smuggling network had them cross the border between Gibraltar and Spain, on board 4x4s with tinted windows, registered in British territory, the same source said.

The Moroccan migrants, once arrived in southern Spain, left for other regions of the country or Europe, paying an additional 500 to 700 euros. This very lucrative business allowed the forgers to earn a million euros in profits. In addition, the network also excelled in cigarette smuggling.

In total, three people were arrested in Gibraltar as part of this operation, launched in November 2018, and 44 in various Spanish provinces. Two of these defendants were remanded in custody, and 62 passports with fake visas for "illegal migrants" were seized, the same source added.