ALBAWABA - An investigation launched by the Spanish National Police (Polica Nacional), assisted by Europol, and involving the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei), resulted in the arrest of 19 traffickers and dismantling of a migrant smuggling group.
With the support of Europol and involving the German Federal Police (Bundespolizei), the arrested suspected traffickers were part of a larger network smuggling migrants from Syria via Libya, Tunis, and Algeria to Spain, Germany, and Norway.
During the action day, Europol sent an analyst to Spain to facilitate real-time information exchange and to cross-check operational data against Europol's databases in order to provide leads to field investigators.
Following the actions, Europol provided extensive forensic support to the Spanish authorities to analyze the new data collected during the operational actions. Europol facilitated also the deployment of German officers on the spot to facilitate appropriate data collection and the exchange of evidence, Europol reported.
Migrant Smuggling in Europe
Spanish authorities launched an investigation into this illegal organization and its activities, which was centered in the regions of Toledo and Cuenca, in June 2022.
The criminal organization enabled the smuggling of irregular migrants from the ports of Almeria and Murcia to the area surrounding Madrid, housing them in seven places.
The suspects kept these locations in filthy conditions, putting migrants' health at risk from the time they entered Spain illegally until they left by road or air for their final destination. The suspects facilitated the transferral of migrants to Madrid – Barajas airport while arranging tickets to destinations in Western and Northern Europe, mainly Germany, and Norway.
Migrants' Journey to Europe
As a result, the criminal network is suspected of organizing 68 unlawful transfers and the smuggling of approximately 550 Syrian refugees into the EU. The criminal organization had a close connection to other migrant smuggling organizations that facilitated smuggling from Asia and Africa to Europe.
This interconnection, discovered throughout the investigation, shows the transnational scope of an intercontinental migrant smuggling network operating in Asia, Africa, and Europe.
With a journey costing around 20,000 Euros, the smugglers profit from the journeys from Syria to the final European destination by transferring migrants between local traffickers from one country to another, while arranging the collection and distribution of criminal profits through a secretive underground banking system.
