Spanish authorities have dismantled two criminal organizations involved in smuggling both migrants and drugs across the Strait of Gibraltar from Morocco. The operations, conducted by the National Police, targeted networks using high-speed boats, known as 'narcolanchas,' for their illicit activities.
According to a statement from Spain's Interior Ministry, the first network was dedicated to transporting large quantities of hashish from Morocco to the coasts of Cadiz and Huelva in southern Spain. The second organization specialized in smuggling migrants from Morocco into Spain using the same type of vessels, charging between 3,000 and 6,000 euros per person.
The police operation resulted in the arrest of 30 individuals across several Spanish provinces, including Malaga, Cadiz, Huelva, and Barcelona. Authorities also seized four high-speed boats, over 3,000 kilograms of hashish, firearms, communications equipment, and nearly 200,000 euros in cash.
This crackdown is part of ongoing efforts by Spanish and Moroccan law enforcement to combat transnational organized crime in the strategically important Strait of Gibraltar, a major route for drug trafficking and irregular migration into Europe.
