Spanish authorities, backed by Europol, have dismantled a major maritime smuggling network after a coordinated operation that produced 78 arrests and seized 18 motorboats, drugs, a handgun, satellite phones and over €25,000. The group is alleged to have run a two-way Algeria–Spain route, carried out at least 64 migrant-smuggling operations moving more than 2,000 people, and generated over €24 million in profits. Investigators say the gang used unregistered "ghost speedboats," violent tactics and subjected migrants to abuses and inhumane conditions.
Spanish-Led Operation Dismantles Major Mediterranean Smuggling Network — 78 Arrested
FILE- The Europol headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)(AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
The Hague, Netherlands — Spanish-led law enforcement, supported by Europol, has dismantled a large criminal network accused of trafficking migrants, drugs and weapons across the Western Mediterranean, authorities said Friday.
The coordinated operation, launched in 2023 and culminating in a June 16 "action day," exposed the professional organization and lucrative returns behind maritime smuggling rings operating between Europe and North Africa.
Operation and Seizures
Europol and Spain's Civil Guard said the raids resulted in 78 arrests — 77 in Spain and one in Algeria — and the seizure of 18 motorboats (including high-speed vessels), drugs, satellite phones, a handgun and more than €25,000 in cash. Video released by Spanish authorities showed officers detaining suspects and counting stacks of 50-euro notes recovered during searches.
How The Network Operated
Investigators say the group provided specialised services to other smuggling gangs, arranging storage, transport, refuelling, maritime transfers, vessel maintenance and counter-surveillance. The network ran a two-way route between Algeria and Spain: transporting drugs to Algeria and filling boats with migrants bound for Spanish coastal towns.
Migrants who crossed from Morocco into Spain line up for food distribution on a beach in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Allegations and Impact
Spain's Civil Guard said the organisation is believed to have carried out at least 64 migration operations that smuggled more than 2,000 migrants into Spain and generated profits exceeding €24 million. Four alleged ringleaders were among those arrested.
"They are considered responsible for at least 64 migration operations... obtaining profits exceeding 24 million euros," the Civil Guard said in a statement.
Authorities said the gang used "ghost speedboats" — high-performance vessels designed to avoid registration and detection, which are banned in Spain — and employed extremely violent methods to protect vessels and resist law enforcement.
Europol also reported allegations that suspects involved in migrant smuggling perpetrated sexual assaults and physical abuse, and held people in inhumane conditions in makeshift housing. These allegations form part of ongoing investigations and will be subject to legal processes.
International Coordination
The investigation was coordinated by Europol in The Hague and involved Spain's Civil Guard and National Police alongside law-enforcement partners from France, Poland and Portugal. Europol provided operational support and helped synchronize the multi-country action day that produced the arrests and seizures.
Authorities said the takedown follows a recent high-profile migration surge into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, which briefly drew international attention when tens of thousands of migrants crossed amid rumours of an open border; most later returned to Morocco.
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