Last year a record of illegal immigration by sea to the Balearic Islands was broken.

The dripping of small boats was constant since the end of the months of harsh confinement, with a clear effect called for the closure of the detention centers.

In total 1,464 immigrants were intercepted.

The wave, which alarmed and at times overwhelmed the authorities, forced the Government to assume the existence of a new immigration route between the north of Algeria and the south of the Balearic archipelago, with Ibiza and the southern coasts of Mallorca as hot spots.

Until now, the vessels detected were always small boats, with 40-horsepower outboard motors, crowded with crew members who were mostly men between 20 and 45 years of age.

These migrants arrived on Balearic soil with the intention of using it as a springboard to reach other regions of Europe, with France and Belgium as their final destination.

However, the Central Unit for Illegal Immigration Networks of the National Police in the Balearic Islands (UCRIF) has now detected a new method devised by the mafias to evade controls and continue to introduce people in exchange for money.

Now by marinas and camouflaged with pleasure boats.

Last Friday, investigators detected a suspicious boat in the south of the island, in the Cala d'Or area, a summer colony with a strong German presence and a high standard of living.

It was a sports boat, about eight meters long, with inboard engines and a cabin with a cabin.

With the Algerian flag, the boat is called 'Freedom' (freedom).

Six people were traveling in it.

The 33-year-old skipper of the boat was arrested and remains in preventive detention while complying with the protocol quarantine, mandatory due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The protocol is applied despite the fact that the migrants, knowledgeable about the health filters, even arrived with a negative PCR.

It was intended to make them pass as tourists with high purchasing power, an unlikely alibi with the empty Islands, in pandemic and experiencing the worst tourist moment in their history.

The young Algerian boss is accused of favoring illegal immigration.

According to the police investigation, he allegedly works for an Algerian-based organization that charges up to 4,000 euros each way to bring people who migrate from the North African country to the Spanish shores.

In a single trip they collect more than 20,000 euros per boat.

This new modality had already been detected in some areas of southern Spain, but it is the first time that one of these operations has been dismantled in the Balearic archipelago, although the mafias could have been operating this way for some time, especially after the tightening of Police and Civil Guard controls.

Not surprisingly, the month of January, which is traditionally a month of arrival of boats, has been very quiet on the island coasts.

The bad weather conditions recorded last weekend in the Islands due to the passage of a storm put this boat at serious risk.

When intercepted, the crew were crowded and terrified due to the heavy storm.

They admitted having paid up to 4,000 euros in exchange for the journey and the illegal entry.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Algeria

  • National Police

  • Majorca

  • Civil Guard

  • France

  • Europe

  • Spain

EventsPolice and Civil Guard seize the largest cache of synthetic drugs in Spain

Angulas Aguinaga: from repudiated for 'betraying Basque cuisine' to applause for the miracle of gluttony

ComplaintsCoronel Camacho: a hero of the CESID in the objective of Pablo Iglesias

See links of interest

  • Balearic Holidays

  • Work calendar

  • Real Betis - Osasuna

  • Sabadell - UD Logroñés

  • Live, ATP Cup: Roberto Bautista - Jon Millman

  • ATP Cup, live: Rafael Nadal - Álex de Miñaur

  • ATP Cup, live: Roberto Bautista - Álex de Miñaur