Spanish Court to Rule on Extradition of Alleged Moroccan Migrant Smuggler

In 2017, the defendant took about thirty migrants from Kenitra, Morocco to Tarifa (Cadiz) on an inflatable boat for 10,000 dirhams (about 900 euros). Arrested last November in Almeria, he will be at the Audiencia Nacional this Tuesday to find out about his extradition or not. The prosecution believes that all the conditions required for his extradition are met and sees no "political motivation" behind this request from Morocco. For his part, the defendant opposes his extradition, reports La Voz de Galicia.

In April 2017, the defendant and an accomplice "managed to take 50 migrants to the Cadiz coast, in exchange for a payment of 30,000 dirhams for the defendant and 20,000 dirhams for his accomplice," the prosecution states in the indictment, stressing the "seriousness" of the alleged acts which could be classified as "crimes of belonging to a criminal organization and illegal human trafficking," punishable by a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.