In Melilla, the Civil Guard dismantled a criminal network focused on human trafficking and drug dealing. The operation resulted in the detention of 24 members who were Spanish nationals or residents of Melilla, all with extensive criminal histories. The officers also rescued nine children who had sought shelter in one of Melilla’s care centers, uncovering a horrifying use of vulnerable youths in illegal activities connected to drug trafficking. The announcement came from the Civil Guard in a formal press release, which also confirmed that the group operated as a structured criminal organization with a wide history of wrongdoing including trafficking and ongoing drug offenses.
The organization allegedly monopolized the cannabis market in Melilla, coordinating distribution and retail from a covert point near the border. Cannabis enters the city by crossing from Morocco, over the fence along the land border that has been in operation since March 2020. The Civil Guard began investigating in October 2021 after detecting the presence of an organized group that used the residents of the Small Center La Purísima to collect drugs and to hold children in custody who were especially vulnerable. The group reportedly used drones or other means to drop packages over the fence from Morocco to gather the contraband at the bottom of the barrier.
The chain of operation showed that vulnerable children were exploited to collect drug packages at the base of the fence, creating a risky scenario where minors could be arrested or harmed. Other members waited on a separate line away from the border, taking no risks while collecting the drugs at a designated location. Once seized, the packages were transported by vehicles to a secure location described as a “nursery” in the Cañada de Hidum neighborhood, where the drugs were stored for distribution and sale by trusted individuals at various points in the city.
Within the criminal organization, roles were clearly defined. Some members acted as leaders, others guarded the area and monitored Civil Guard patrols, and still others collected drug packages at the fence or transported the drugs to the storage site where they would eventually be circulated. The leaders reportedly maintained direct contact with associates in the Moroccan region to arrange release details such as date, time, and venue, leaving nothing to chance at any stage of the operation.
During the investigation, the Civil Guard performed extensive surveillance and documentation, compiling a total of 172 described drug packages and, over the course of the operation, uncovering 275 kilograms of drugs, primarily marijuana, presented in the form of small pellets or “acorns.” Of these, 34 kilograms were found in the hands of detainees. The Melilla Judicial Police Organization Organic Unit led the confidential inquiry, which remained under wraps until the critical abuse prevention phase and involved safeguarding minors used by the plot. Fuente: Guardia Civil. The case highlights a coordinated effort that spanned border control, social protection for at-risk youths, and a concerted crackdown on cross-border smuggling and drug distribution networks in Melilla.