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 in the western Mediterranean.

The group operated a dual-flow criminal enterprise, moving 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 "ghost speedboats," according to Europol. The smuggling routes routinely ran from Algeria to Spain, with migrants charged up to €12,000 (£10,200) per person. Europol noted that in a single trip, over 50 migrants could be smuggled, with estimated profits from migrant smuggling alone exceeding €24 million (£20 million).

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

Europol highlighted that the network had "evolved from drug trafficking into a duel-flow criminal enterprise designed to maximise profits," and was also linked to other crimes such as violent robberies, extortion, illegal detentions, and money laundering. The group organised 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 rumours of an open border. Most migrants have returned to Morocco, but between 3,000 and 5,000 remain, according to Juan Jesús Vivas, the exclave's leader.

Sources