HIBAPRESS – Mohammed Zerouih
A new security case in the occupied city of Melilla has revealed suspicions of a leisure boat being used to organize irregular migration trips for Moroccan citizens, in exchange for sums of money reaching 11,000 Euros per individual. This case resulted in the arrest of four people, according to the newspaper "El Faro de Melilla," citing data from the Spanish National Police.
The threads of the case began to unravel when a security unit specializing in combating irregular migration and document forgery networks received information about suspicious movements of a boat docked at the port of occupied Melilla. In mid-March, investigators monitored the arrival of the boat with six Moroccans on board who were residing in Spain irregularly. The police intervened, arrested the captain, and impounded the boat.
The investigations did not stop with this operation. The testimonies of the six individuals helped direct the investigations towards the hypothesis of an organized network facilitating transit operations for exorbitant sums of money. According to security data, those involved spoke of paying up to 11,000 Euros per person, which prompted investigators to deepen their inquiries in search of parties potentially linked to these activities.
The investigations led to the arrest of three other residents of occupied Melilla, bringing the total number of detainees to four, including the boat's captain. Security services announced that the operation resulted in the dismantling of the local branch suspected of being linked to the network, while the case was referred to the competent court for further legal proceedings and investigation into the potential roles of the detainees.
This case brings to the forefront the dangers of irregular migration networks that exploit the aspirations of those wishing to cross to the other side, turning sea voyages into a lucrative business, according to the data from the investigation. Between what the security investigations have revealed and what the court will decide, the criminal responsibility of the suspects remains dependent on what the judicial procedure proves, while ensuring the presumption of innocence until final judgments are issued.
