The National Police dismantled two organized crime groups involved in cross-border smuggling of Moroccan migrants toward the Canary Islands. The leaders, authorities say, oversaw a well-structured operation that facilitated the arrival of 204 Moroccan migrants aboard six small boats, with Lanzarote contributing five vessels and Fuerteventura one. Investigators estimate the net gain for the crime syndicate at more than 600,000 euros, derived from recruitment fees and transport charges paid by migrants.
Eight individuals were apprehended in a coordinated sweep across the Canary Islands town of Las Palmas, as well as in Las Palmas, Murcia, Cadiz, and Biscay. All suspects face charges including violations of foreign nationals’ rights, membership in a criminal organization, and possession of forged documents. Three of the detainees remain in temporary detention centers pending further proceedings.
Following months of inquiry and formal procedures, authorities confirmed the existence of two interlinked criminal networks that specialized in smuggling Moroccan migrants from the Moroccan coast to the Canary Islands.
204 migrants transferred
Investigations allowed police to map the operational framework of the two groups, detailing the roles of leaders, the routes employed, the departure points, and the amounts demanded from migrants to secure passage by sea to Spain. It was established that the organization’s leaders were responsible for sending six boats to the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, through which 204 Moroccan migrants were transported.
Benefits exceeding 600,000 euros
Law enforcement notes indicate the criminal network typically charged around 3,000 euros per migrant, with an initial higher demand of 4,000 euros that was reduced to 2,500 euros if boats could not reach full capacity. Given the number of boats and migrants moved, the authorities estimate the total proceeds surpass 600,000 euros for the organization.
Once sufficient evidence had been gathered, the investigation culminated in a multi-province operation designed to disrupt the networks. It involved roughly 100 police officers conducting searches at the residences of the organization’s leaders in Sotogrande, Cadiz; Lorquí, Murcia; and Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. A large quantity of data storage devices and documents detailing financial transactions related to travel aboard small boats were seized or examined during the raids.
Eight people were brought before the courthouse as part of the proceedings, facing charges for offenses linked to the rights of foreign nationals, membership in a criminal organization, and the possession of forged documents, as disclosed by the investigative team.