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

The group trafficked synthetic drugs, including 15,000 MDMA pills, firearms, and explosives from Spain and Portugal to Algeria. On the return journey, they smuggled migrants and weapons to the Spanish mainland and the island of Ibiza using high-speed "ghost speedboats." Authorities seized 18 high-speed vessels valued at €5 million (£4.2 million), guns, and over €25,000 (£21,400) in cash during the operation, which involved searches at 17 locations in Spain such as Alicante, Almería, Cartagena, and Murcia.

Europol described the network as having "evolved from drug trafficking into a duel-flow criminal enterprise designed to maximise profits," with outbound routes from Spain and Portugal to Algeria. Migrant smuggling along routine routes from Algeria to Spain involved charging up to €12,000 (£10,200) per person, with over 50 migrants smuggled in a single trip. Profits from migrant smuggling alone are estimated to exceed €24 million (£20 million).

"The group used these boats to organise transfers in international waters near the Spanish coastline," Europol said. The network is also linked to other criminal activities including "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 amid online rumors of an open border. Most have returned to Morocco, but between 3,000 and 5,000 remain, according to Juan Jesús Vivas, the exclave's leader.

Sources