Spanish police arrest 78 people in bust of "one of the largest" smuggling networks
A massive operation coordinated by Spanish police and Europol has dismantled a criminal organization that moved synthetic drugs and people across the western Mediterranean.
The 78 suspects were arrested in Spain and Algeria, and the network was also involved in violent robberies, extortion, illegal detentions and money laundering.
The organisation shipped synthetic drugs such as MDMA from Spain and Portugal to Algeria, then used the return journey to smuggle migrants and weapons to the Spanish mainland and to the island of Ibiza on "ghost speedboats" — vessels designed to avoid registration and detection.
Authorities seized 18 high‑speed vessels, valued at €5 million, along with guns, over €25 000 in cash and 15 000 MDMA pills.
The sting included searches in 17 Spanish locations, including Alicante, Almería, Cartagena and Murcia.
Europol noted that the group had evolved from simple drug trafficking into a dual‑flow criminal enterprise, with outbound routes from Spain and Portugal to Algeria. The smuggling focused on synthetic drugs, firearms and explosives, while carrying migrants on return routes and charging up to €12 000 per person.
A single trip could move over 50 migrants, generating more than €24 million in profit from migrant smuggling alone.
The network also offered services to other organised crime groups, facilitating the movement of illicit goods and people across the Western Mediterranean.
Suspects largely of Algerian origin had links to criminal groups in France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy and Poland.
Other items seized included satellite phones, GPS devices, encrypted communication tools and satellite dishes, indicating sophisticated coordination.
The announcement follows recent concerns about a surge of migrants in Ceuta, with 78,000 fleeing the Spanish North African territory after online rumours of an open border. Most returned to Morocco, but 3,000 to 5,000 remain in the exclave, according to its leader.
