Spanish Police Arrest 78 in Massive Western Mediterranean Smuggling Ring

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:59:18 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A Europol‑led operation dismantled a sprawling network moving drugs, weapons and migrants between Spain, Portugal and Algeria, arresting 78 suspects in Spain and Algeria.

Spanish authorities, aided by Europol, seized a network that trafficked synthetic drugs, firearms, explosives and migrants across the western Mediterranean. The sting, involving 17 locations in Spain and coordinated actions in Algeria, led to 78 arrests and recovered 18 high‑speed vessels, MDMA pills, cash and weaponry. The group used illegal “ghost” speedboats to slip migrants across international waters, often charging up to €12,000 per individual and risking life‑dangerous conditions. Investigators estimate profits exceeding €24 million from migrant smuggling alone. The crackdown underscores the expanding reach of dragnet operations across Europe’s coastlines.

Spanish police, in a coordinated Europol‑led operation, arrested 78 people linked to a vast smuggling network that operated across the western Mediterranean, moving synthetic drugs, weapons, and migrants between Spain, Portugal and Algeria.

The crackdown involved arrests in 17 Spanish locations—Alicante, Almería, Cartagena and Murcia—alongside operations in Algeria and dismantling of 18 high‑speed “ghost” vessels valued at €5 million, which the group used to convey cargo and people in international waters.

Key findings included more than €25,000 in cash, 15,000 MDMA pills, various firearms, and a fleet of speedboats equipped with satellite phones and GPS devices, facilitating both drug and human trafficking.

The network trafficked synthetic drugs from Spain and Portugal to Algeria, then leveraged return routes to smuggle migrants and weapons into Spain and Ibiza, charging up to €12,000 per person and reportedly moving over 50 migrants in a single trip—profits from this arm alone estimated at over €24 million.

Investigators highlight the group’s use of containers and makeshift housing, exposing victims to sexual assault, physical abuse and severe deprivation. The suspects largely originate from Algeria and maintain ties with criminal groups across France, Belgium, Portugal, Italy and Poland.