In a sweeping European operation, authorities have dismantled a network involved in smuggling Cuban migrants, leading to the arrest of 36 individuals across multiple countries. In Spain, which served as the migrants' final destination, arrests were carried out in cities like Málaga, Gipuzkoa, and several other provinces.
Local sources report that in Málaga, the National Police apprehended a key figure believed to be responsible for the transnational network facilitating the illegal entry of Cuban migrants into Europe. The organization reportedly charged approximately €10,000 per person, orchestrating the entry of at least 67 Cuban nationals.
Meanwhile, in Gipuzkoa, two more members of the same network were detained as reported by the Basque Country’s local press. The investigation, which began in January 2023, uncovered that the criminal network utilized a sophisticated transit system that started in Cuba, where interested individuals were contacted online.
The alert was initially raised by German authorities, who intercepted a Cuban woman at one of their airports. She was traveling from Belgrade to Madrid with a fake Spanish ID, prompting them to alert the National Police. The migrants' journey involved flying to Serbia and then being transported overland to Greece, passing through North Macedonia. From Greece, they would fly to Spain using either forged documents or genuine Spanish IDs in a technique known as "look alike," according to Spanish media outlet El Periódico de Extremadura.
The overland transport was carried out by "pirate drivers" and "coyotes," who facilitated clandestine border crossings. These operations often endangered the migrants' lives, as they were frequently crammed into car trunks speeding across borders.
Key Figures in the Network
Among the 36 detainees, four were identified as principal members of the syndicate, playing leading roles in the operation, as reported by the press. Two of them were responsible for recruiting migrants, securing travel tickets, and obtaining invitation letters required for entry into Serbia. The other two organized the overland route from Serbia to Greece and provided forged identity documents, allowing the migrants to fly from Greece to Spain while posing as Spanish citizens.
To handle the payments, the network leaders established a system of bank accounts in Belgium, some of which were set up using fake documents. Through international legal cooperation, these accounts were traced, frozen, and seized.
In the final crackdown, the four main leaders were arrested in Alicante (3) and Málaga (1). The remaining 32 individuals, acting as intermediaries between the organization and the migrants, were captured in various Spanish provinces: Alicante (7), Barcelona (6), Las Palmas (4), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (4), Guipúzcoa (2), Balearic Islands (2), Madrid (2), Cáceres (1), Segovia (1), Toledo (1), Vizcaya (1), and Zaragoza (1).
Seized Assets and Evidence
Additionally, three house searches were conducted in Alicante (2) and Málaga (1), resulting in the seizure of €7,550 in cash, extensive IT equipment, and crucial documents pertinent to the investigation.
FAQs on the European Operation Against Cuban Migrant Smuggling
What was the main route used by the smuggling network?
The network's primary route involved flying migrants from Cuba to Serbia, then transporting them overland to Greece, with final flights to Spain using falsified or stolen Spanish documents.
How were the payments for smuggling facilitated?
Payments were managed through a system of bank accounts in Belgium, some opened with fraudulent documentation. These accounts were later identified and frozen through international cooperation.