Spanish Police Bust Migrant Smuggling Ring Operating Between Morocco and Spain

The criminal network had modified part of the trucks to allow migrants to hide in them in order to cross the maritime border of Algeciras. Based in the province of Tarragona, the network provided Spanish fake documents to migrants to facilitate their boarding on commercial ships bound for Spain. Once on the peninsula, the network would take back the fake documents from the migrants, then hide them in modified vehicles or offer them bus tickets to go to other regions of the country, reports Gacetin Madrid.

The network charged migrants between 8,000 and 14,000 euros for this service. After investigation, eleven people, presumed members of the network, were arrested in Algeciras, Tarragona and Madrid. They are accused of belonging to a criminal organization, promoting illegal immigration and document forgery. Important documents were seized by investigators after searches carried out in Tarragona and Reus. The leader of the network was placed in pre-trial detention.