47 arrested in a macro operation against a network that trafficked people between Gibraltar and Spain
The organization charged each immigrant from Morocco between 7,000 and 8,000 euros, which allowed him to obtain an economic benefit of more than 1,000,000 euros
A total of 47 people have been arrested in a joint operation of the National Police with the Royal Gibraltar Police for their alleged membership in criminal organization and human trafficking between Gibraltar, Spain and several European countries, as reported by the Directorate General of Police.
The organization charged each immigrant from Morocco between 7,000 and 8,000 euros, which allowed him to obtain an economic benefit of more than 1,000,000 euros. The impact of the illicit activity has affected 18 Spanish provinces and five European countries, so 200 police officers have participated in the operation with the Gibraltar police, all of them coordinated by Europol.
The operation has ended with two entries and home registration, one on the Line of the Conception (Cádiz) and another in Gibraltar in which there was a European Investigation Order. Has intervened 19,000 euros in cash, 12 smartphones, five passenger cars and various documentation. The investigation began in November 2018, when the Royal Gibraltar Police detected a significant increase in Moroccans from Tangiers arriving in Gibraltar with a stay visa for the United Kingdom. This visa does not allow entry into any country of the Schengen area, so they could not legally enter Spain. The criminal organization had two branches, one in Morocco and one in the region of Campo de Gibraltar (Gibraltar and the Line of Conception).
In Morocco they captured and planned the migrants' trips, for this they prepared a complete file with false documentation that they showed to the British authorities in which they met the necessary requirements to obtain the visa. Once the visa was obtained, the organization bought a plane ticket to the trafficker, provided a hotel reservation in Gibraltar and indicated the steps to follow and who to contact. To obtain the visa they charged between 7,000 and 8,000 euros to each migrant. From Gibraltar, they helped the trafficker to cross the border clandestinely, for this they had off-road vehicles belonging to the organization with a Gibraltar license plate and tinted rear moons, where they hid them and moved to La Linea de la Concepción in Spain, always at night hours to make it difficult The visibility. On occasion, immigrants were housed in hostels in Gibraltar before the clandestine crossing of police control. After crossing the border, they were housed in the domicile of one of the leaders of the organization or in hostels of the Line of the Conception. The next day, they bought him a bus ticket to another Spanish province or another European country. For the transfer charged between 500 and 700 euros to traffickers.
Further, The organization had a large number of employees, such as drivers, taxi drivers and staff to manage travel tickets, so they charged migrants between 100 and 200 euros. After the investigation, the agents have been able to verify that the benefit obtained by the organization based in Morocco exceeds one million euros, while the branch of Campo de Gibraltar would obtain estimated benefits of 79,800 euros. After the execution of the corresponding arrest and surrender orders, three members of the organization in Gibraltar and another 44 members in different Spanish provinces have been arrested, all for alleged membership in a criminal organization and human trafficking.
