One of the largest criminal networks smuggling drugs and people in the western Mediterranean has been dismantled, authorities announced.
In a coordinated operation, Spanish and Algerian police arrested 78 suspects linked to a multi‑layered empire that trafficked synthetic drugs, goods, weapons and thousands of migrants across the Mediterranean.
The group transported synthetic drugs – notably MDMA – from Spain and Portugal to Algeria, then used the return journeys to ferry migrants and weapons to the Spanish mainland and the island of Ibiza via “ghost speedboats” that evade registration and detection. 18 high‑speed vessels valued at 5 million euros were seized, together with firearms, 15,000 MDMA pills, more than €25,000 in cash, satellite phones, GPS devices, encrypted communication tools and satellite dishes.
Investigators noted the network had evolved from pure drug trafficking to a “duel‑flow criminal enterprise designed to maximise profits,” linking outbound routes from western European ports to Algeria and inbound routes from Algeria back to Spain, Denmark and other European countries.
One shipment carried over 50 migrants in overcrowded boats that often lacked lighting and life jackets, forcing them under harsh weather conditions. Authorities reported instances of sexual assault, physical abuse and inhuman conditions for the migrants.
Suspects were mainly of Algerian origin but had ties to criminal groups in France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy and Poland. The seized items also included satellite dishes and encrypted communication tools that facilitated cross‑border coordination.
Spanish police launched the sting at 17 sites, including Alicante, Almería, Cartagena and Murcia, and arrest warrants were also issued in Algeria. The operation follows a wave of 78,000 migrants who fled into Spanish North African territory Ceuta after online rumours of an open border – a surge that left most of them returning to Morocco, although between 3,000 and 5,000 remain.
Seen as a turning point in Mediterranean security, the bust undermines the economic power and operational capability of the network, disrupting the flow of drugs, weapons and human trafficking that fuels further destabilisation.
