The Spanish National Police on the island of Fuerteventura, part of the Canary Islands, has dismantled a dangerous international gang involved in the trafficking of undocumented migrants from Moroccan shores to Spain. This operation led to the arrest of the mastermind behind the migration efforts, a 22-year-old Moroccan man.
According to a statement from the police leadership in the Canary Islands, the detainee faces five criminal charges, including murder. He is implicated in the throwing of three migrants into the sea during an irregular migration journey, resulting in their disappearance.
The police described the gang as “violent and organized,” comprising several Moroccan nationals assigned specific roles, including recruiting migrants, transportation, collecting payments, logistical organization, and steering boats.
The dismantling of the network was facilitated by testimonies from two migrants who survived the ordeal and chose to cooperate with Spanish authorities under witness protection.
The police operation, named “Naufrago” (Drowning), came after investigations identified the main suspect, who resides in Fuerteventura and has direct connections to network leaders based in Morocco, particularly in the Tan-Tan and Laayoune regions.
Data revealed that the gang had access to four-wheel-drive vehicles, rubber boats, and firearms, allowing them to execute simultaneous operations to smuggle migrants under harsh conditions and without safety measures.
Victim testimonies indicated that traffickers forced migrants to board boats without life jackets, subjecting them to violence, threats, and humiliation. One witness confirmed that the detained individual steered the boat and collected money from the migrants before throwing three of them into the sea during the journey.
Investigations, which included analyzing social media accounts, linked the operation to a prior investigation conducted in April 2025, resulting in the arrest of another gang member currently in prison.
The final phase of the operation took place on October 8 and 9, culminating in the arrest of the main suspect, who was remanded in custody on charges related to membership in a criminal organization, human trafficking, murder, serious threats, and failing to assist persons in danger.
The operation was carried out by members of the Foreigners and Borders unit in Puerto del Rosario in coordination with Spanish judicial authorities. Investigations continue to apprehend other individuals associated with the network both within Morocco and abroad.
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