Morocco-Spanish operation nabs human smuggling network

Moroccan and Spanish security forces have managed, in a joint operation to dismantle a large human-smuggling network responsible for introducing hundreds of illegal immigrants in recent months in the Spanish territory.

According to a press release of the Spanish Interior Ministry, the operation, dubbed "Samba" and conducted by the Spanish Guardia Civil and the Moroccan police in the territories of the two countries, allowed for the arrest of 19 individuals, including 5 in Morocco, one of whom is the alleged mastermind of the so-called A.H. network.

The network's scheme was to smuggle immigrants on transit in Madrid on their way to Brazil, noted the release.

A number of fake documents, stamps, passports and several IT equipment that the network used in its activities were seized by the police in Spain, the release said.

Morocco and Spain have recently stepped up cooperation to crack down on illegal immigration, which led to the dismantling of a number of human smuggling networks.

On the Moroccan side, 26,000 attempts of illegal emigration were foiled in 2004, including 4,989 in southern Morocco. Some 423 people smuggling networks were also dismantled in the same year.