Agents of the National Police have dismantled a network dedicated to the illegal trafficking of people from Algeria to the coasts of Almeria and other areas of the Mediterranean, possibly the Balearic Islands. The detainees had an exhaustive knowledge of the geography of the Almeria coast, using a network of caves in this area to house the migrants. The sea routes back to Algeria were also used to smuggle and transport drugs and smuggle Algerians fleeing from European justice out of Schengen territory. Investigators link this organisation to the death of 11 people last February when the boat in which they were trying to reach Spain sank.
In the operation, 21 people have been arrested in Almería (8), Alicante (6) and Murcia (7) for the crimes of encouraging illegal immigration, reckless homicide, belonging to a criminal organisation and crimes against the public health. In addition, seven searches were carried out in the provinces of Almeria, Alicante and Murcia and two inspections were carried out in establishments in Almeria. In addition, more than 50,000 euros in cash and international currency, specifically dirhams and dinars, worth around 3,000 euros, banknote counting machines, approximately three kilograms of hashish, a multitude of doses and samples of marijuana, cocaine and ketamine, various precision scales and packaging machines, a simulated firearm, computers, various mobile and electronic mass storage devices, as well as various documents related to the investigation have been seized. They are estimated to have made profits of over 2,500,000 euros.
11 dead in the shipwreck of a skiff
The international criminal organisation specialised in the illegal trafficking of Algerian and Moroccan immigrants from Algeria to Spain by sea, using fast Zodiac boats. The main point of entry into Spain was the Almeria coast, a coastal area that they knew perfectly well. They also had a network of caves and grottoes that were difficult to access and allowed them to hide the trafficked persons both when entering and leaving the national territory.
The criminal network had a large fleet of “pirate taxi drivers” to transport the immigrants by land to different points of the national territory or other Schengen countries. The organisation charged excessive amounts of money to the migrants, both for being brought into the national territory, for the transfers, and for temporarily lodging them in houses located in the province of Almería once they reached the coast, taking advantage of their vulnerable situation.
In turn, these properties were used as security flats where the pilots of the boats were temporarily housed in case they were intercepted at sea or suffered some kind of disagreement during the sea crossing, such as incidents with the engine or fuel consumption, providing them with the necessary maintenance and support, providing them with maximum cover and protection in our country until their clandestine return to Algeria, while a new entry of immigrants was being made, and then using this vessel to return the pilots to Algeria.
The members of the criminal network, firmly structured in different criminal groups with specific functions, managed to successfully carry out at least 21 migratory episodes with destination to the peninsula, has counted more than 40 small boats with an average of 15 immigrants per boat. It is estimated that more than 500 people were smuggled into Spain, earning an average of between 4,000 and 7,500 euros per person, the amount varying according to the service provided.
A cell in Morocco to recruit clients
The network had a cell-based in Morocco, in charge of recruiting potential clients and carrying out clandestine land crossings of Moroccan immigrants to Algeria. The price of this transfer was between 800 and 1000 euros per trafficked person. The core of the organisation was located in Algeria, with the functions of recruiting Algerian clients, housing the migrants in different flats and organising the departures by boat to Spain.
The acts of illegal maritime trafficking were perpetrated without any kind of safety measures to safeguard the integrity of the people on board these boats, such as life jackets or luminescent signs, not even food and drink, which represents an abusive disregard for the lives of those who were being smuggled. This criminal network is implicated in the deaths of 11 people, all of them on board the same boat that sank in February of this year and was attempting to reach Almería.
In addition, the network was involved in drug trafficking, bringing mainly hashish into Spain. Other substances, main ecstasy, were also transported on return journeys to Algeria. All this translates into a greater professionalisation and specialisation of the organisation which, to boost the huge profits obtained, diversified its business with other criminal specialisations by taking advantage of migratory crossings.
Police investigation
The operation, which has dismantled the criminal organisation, has aborted the shipment of three crews that had prepared to leave for Almería. Thanks to the investigation, it was discovered that two groups were based in this Andalusian province that coordinated the sea crossings, the departure of the boats, their collection in Spanish territory and their subsequent transfer by vehicle to other safe locations in Spain. In addition, the boats back to Algeria were used for the furtive departure of fugitives from European justice, who tried to escape from their wanted status by escaping through unauthorised posts.
Another group was based in Alicante, whose task was to support and offer financing to the members of the criminal network through the “Hawala” system, a traditional alternative and informal money transfer system based on trust. Another group was also based in Murcia, which carried out land transfers of Moroccans to Algeria, as well as recruiting Spain relatives of potential migrants who would be in Morocco.