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

The network trafficked synthetic drugs such as MDMA from Spain and Portugal to Algeria. On the return journey, it smuggled migrants and weapons to the Spanish mainland and Ibiza using high-speed "ghost speedboats." Europol reported that the group 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 stated 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 smuggled, with estimated profits from migrant smuggling alone exceeding €24 million (£20 million). The group organized transfers in international waters near the Spanish coastline.

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 Ceuta's leader Juan Jesús Vivas.

The criminal network is also linked to other offenses, including violent robberies, extortion, illegal detentions, and money laundering, highlighting its extensive illicit activities facilitating the movement of goods and people across the Western Mediterranean.

Sources