progressive payment
Officials describe a coordinated illegal network that operated across borders and relied on a staged payment model. The core group allegedly managed the movement of migrants toward Europe, with the total cost for each migrant reaching around twenty thousand euros. The operation began with a route that started in Europe and extended into North Africa and the Middle East, creating a complex flow of people and funds. The migrants were moved through multiple modes of transport, including air, sea, and land, under the control of the organization.
Investigators observed that the network built alliances in several countries and worked with other criminal groups through informal financial channels. This hawala-like system allowed large sums, estimated at about two and a half million euros, to circulate while enabling continued trafficking and the relocation of migrants toward destinations in Europe.
In Spain, authorities carried out seven searches, with five taking place in Toledo and two in Cuenca. They seized nearly ten thousand euros in cash, five vehicles, numerous mobile devices, and various documents that supported the investigation and the network’s operations.
As a result of the operation, nineteen individuals were arrested in Spain. Six of them had already begun pretrial detention, while the rest were processed through the judicial system. The suspects face charges related to belonging to a criminal organization and assisting illegal immigration, reflecting the serious nature of the case and the international scope of the criminal activity.
seven times security
The operation exposed a substantial infrastructure designed to conceal the network’s activities. In particular, several secure facilities in the regions of Toledo and Cuenca served as staging points where migrants could be housed and kept out of sight while arrangements were completed for their onward movements.
Authorities identified a fleet of vehicles used to shuttle migrants for secondary transfers within the country and to other European destinations, notably Germany and Norway. The scale of the network was underscored by police records indicating sixty-nine separate immigration cases and more than three hundred fifty Syrians who contributed to the operation’s profits, totaling around two and a half million euros.
Investigators emphasized the international dimension of the case, noting that the network coordinated with partners across multiple jurisdictions to facilitate the movement of people and funds. The case highlights ongoing concerns about organized crime exploiting vulnerable migrants and the need for cross-border cooperation to disrupt such schemes and protect those seeking safety and opportunity in Europe. This report draws on official statements from the national police and related agencies to provide a clear view of the operation and its outcomes, with attribution to the agencies involved in this investigation for their investigative work and findings.