This Is How “Harraga” Transport Networks Operate Between Algeria And Europe

A fact-finding report by the Spanish Civil Guard, published by the newspaper “Espanyol”, revealed that the activity of illegal immigration networks doubled by more than 239 percent in 2020.

The Spanish report sheds light on the new route followed by illegal immigration networks, which, according to the Spanish Civil Guard, have found the main alternative in the Atlantic Ocean route that leads to the Canary Islands on the Mediterranean route to the shores of the Murcia region specifically.

According to the Civil Guard’s report, the Canary Archipelago is hosting large numbers of illegal immigration by receiving 20,074 immigrants, which is an increase of 908% compared to the same period in 2019.

Sources in the Ministry of the Interior confirmed to the newspaper that the shock plan that was launched in the Canary Islands “has already started to bear fruit”, as in the past two months the “return of migrants” operations have been carried out in Algeria, Mauritania, and Morocco.

The report warned of the transformation of the region of Murcia into a route of illegal immigration from the Algerian coasts, as the mafia transformed its way of working with the help of boats equipped with the Global Positioning System (GPS), which in many cases are models of rubber boats similar to those used by drug traffickers.

The local mafia also uses taxis waiting for the arrival of the “harraga” or illegal immigrants, to transport them to a safe place, in return for a payment ranging between 300 and 800 euros.

The Spanish authorities are working, according to the newspaper Espanyol, to intensify the guard against immigrants to ward off riots, as happened last July, when 454 Algerians were received at once over the weekend.