The key facts
- 74 migrants (54 men, 10 women, 10 unaccompanied minors) found in a house in the El Príncipe neighborhood of Ceuta
- A local resident was arrested — the suspected leader of an organization engaged in irregular migration and labor exploitation
- There are signs that some of the minors were subjected to physical violence, including injuries from dog bites
Operation in the El Príncipe neighborhood
The Spanish National Police reported on Thursday that on Tuesday they discovered 74 migrants who were in the country irregularly in a house in the El Príncipe neighborhood of the city of Ceuta. The people were living in overcrowded and harsh conditions. Inside were 54 men, ten women and ten unaccompanied foreign minors. During the operation, a local resident was arrested who, according to police, is the ringleader of a criminal organization engaged in facilitating irregular migration and other criminal activity.
Suspicions and investigation
The investigation is being conducted on suspicion of facilitating irregular immigration, violating workers' rights, causing bodily injury and labor exploitation of minors. According to police, there are signs that some of the minors may have been subjected to physical violence, including sustaining injuries from dog bites. Investigators are also determining whether the minors and adults were subjected to labor exploitation and forced to perform various tasks through exploitation of their vulnerable situation.
Large-scale deployment of forces
The operation required a significant police deployment due to the complexity of the neighborhood where the house was located and the potential danger posed by the organization under investigation: according to the National Police, several of its members have extensive criminal records. The police point out that the premises also served as logistical infrastructure for the organization, which allegedly housed large groups of people there while preparing their irregular transfer to mainland Spain.
Context: demolition of migrant camps
The operation took place against the backdrop of increased police activity in Ceuta following the dismantling of informal settlements on Benítez beach and El Trampolín. It is believed that the destruction of these camps led some of the migrants who had been living there to move to other areas of the city, including El Príncipe. In response, the police are maintaining surveillance and an operational presence around and inside the neighborhood. The investigation was carried out in coordination with a number of police units on the Andalusian coast and central services, in cooperation with the prosecutor's office against migrant smuggling.
