A criminal organisation that brought in scores of illegal immigrants to the UK from Spanish ports has been stopped by the Civil Guard.
The migrants – mostly from Albania but also Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan – were stowed away on ferries and cruise liners destined for UK ports.
The immigrants left Spain from Santander in Cantabria and Santurtzi in the Basque Country.
Civil Guard officers arrested gang members of Spanish, Albanian and Iraqi origin, accused of facilitating the immigrants’ entry into the UK. Three were detained in Santander and four in Santurtzi during ‘Operation Hegira’.
The seven suspects are charged with human trafficking and belonging to a criminal organisation.
The Spanish civil guard has arrested a group of seven traffickers who illegally brought immigrants into the UK
The civil guard has released a video showing the arrests of seven men who trafficked in migrants from Albania, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan
The seven suspects are charged with human trafficking and belonging to a criminal organisation
According to reports, migrants were brought from their place of origin to accommodation in the two Spanish autonomous communities
According to reports, migrants were brought from their place of origin to accommodation in the two Spanish autonomous communities.
The gang would then smuggle them into Spanish ports through perimeter fences and hide the immigrants in caravans, trailers, and containers while vehicles were queuing to board UK-bound ferries.
When Spanish authorities raided three homes, police allegedly found locked rooms overcrowded with immigrants.
Agents seized electronic devices, bank cards and numerous fake documents, passports and forms of identification.
The immigrants left Spain from Santander in Cantabria and Santurtzi in the Basque Country
The gang would smuggle the migrants into Spanish ports through perimeter fences and hide the immigrants in caravans, trailers, and containers
The gang were detained in Santander and four in Santurtzi as part of’Operation Hegira’
Spanish authorities raided three homes, police allegedly found locked rooms overcrowded with immigrants
The Civil Guard began the operation when they noticed a large number of Albanian nationals entering the Port of Bilbao in Santurtzi.
Officers also detected an increase in people travelling illegally to the UK after they had been intercepted in either Spanish or UK ports.
Agents seized electronic devices, bank cards and numerous fake documents, passports and forms of identification
The Civil Guard began the operation when they noticed a large number of Albanian nationals entering the Port of Bilbao in Santurtzi
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