Spanish police, in coordination with Europol, arrested 78 people in Spain and Algeria on Friday, August 7th, 2026, dismantling one of the largest criminal networks involved in smuggling drugs and people across the western Mediterranean.

The group trafficked synthetic drugs such as MDMA from Spain and Portugal to Algeria. On the return journey, they smuggled migrants and weapons to the Spanish mainland and Ibiza using high-speed "ghost speedboats." Europol stated the network had "evolved from drug trafficking into a duel-flow criminal enterprise designed to maximise profits."

Items seized during the operation included 18 high-speed vessels valued at €5 million (£4.2 million), firearms, over €25,000 (£21,400) in cash, and 15,000 MDMA pills. The sting involved searches at 17 locations in Spain, including Alicante, Almería, Cartagena, and Murcia.

Europol reported that migrants were smuggled along routine routes from Algeria to Spain, with fees reaching up to €12,000 (£10,200) per person. In some trips, over 50 migrants could be transported, with estimated profits from migrant smuggling alone exceeding €24 million (£20 million).

The group also engaged in other criminal activities such as violent robberies, extortion, illegal detentions, and money laundering.

This announcement follows a recent surge in migration, where approximately 78,000 migrants entered the Spanish North African territory of Ceuta, reportedly triggered by online rumors of an open border. While most migrants returned to Morocco, between 3,000 and 5,000 remain in Ceuta, according to the territory's leader, Juan Jesús Vivas.

Sources