Spanish Court Blocks Extradition of Alleged Migrant Trafficker to Morocco

The Moroccan was the subject of an international arrest warrant for his alleged membership in a criminal network dedicated to human trafficking between Africa and Spain. After his arrest in February, Morocco requested his extradition. But the National Court has just rejected the Moroccan request, considering that it does not respect the rights of the suspect. The judges pointed out that the request only bears the visa of the Moroccan Attorney General and no signature of a judge, as required by the Spanish Constitutional Court.

The accused, a member of a human trafficking network, was responsible for "housing sub-Saharan migrants in abandoned houses" in the Tazaghine region, located between Al Hoceima and Nador, pending their boarding on makeshift boats to the Spanish coast. He had been involved in this trafficking since his adolescence and received up to 1,500 euros per migrant.