European police teams have closed an organised crime gang moving immigrants seeking asylum.
The group – based in Spain – eased the second movement of people from Syria.
Spanish Police – working with German officers and Europol – arrested 19 suspects.
Officers raided seven locations and found mobile phones, cash, and documents.
A Europol spokesperson said:
“In June 2022, Spanish authorities initiated an investigation into this criminal group, which was based in the provinces of Toledo and Cuenca.
“The criminal organisation facilitated the transportation of irregular migrants from the coasts of Almeria and Murcia to the area surrounding Madrid, accommodating them in seven locations they used for this purpose.
“The suspects kept these locations in unsanitary conditions, putting migrants’ health at risk from their clandestine entry into Spain until their departure towards their final destination via land or air.
“The suspects facilitated the transferral of migrants to Madrid – Barajas airport, while arranging tickets to destinations in Western and Northern Europe, mainly Germany and Norway.
“The criminal network is suspected of organising over 68 illegal transfers, and the consequent smuggling of more than 550 Syrian migrants into the EU. “
The spokesperson said the total price for the journey from Syria to the final European destination totalled more than €20 000.
The prices per leg of the smuggling route were as follows:
- € 4 000 from Beirut, Lebanon to Egypt via plane;
- € 3 500 from Egypt via Libya and Tunis to Algeria via land;
- € 10 000 from the Algerian Oran y Mostaganem coast to the Spanish coasts of Almeria and Murcia via sea, and then via land to Madrid, Cuanca and Toledo;
- between € 1000 and €2000 from Spain to Germany and Norway.