Rabat – Spain’s National Intelligence Center (CNI) has identified what it describes as a structured logistics network that allegedly helped Moroccan migrants reach the Spanish-occupied city of Ceuta during the mass arrivals of July 30 and 31, according to a report submitted to the Spanish judiciary
The report, cited by Spanish newspaper El Independiente, describes an alleged system of temporary accommodation and maritime transport in northern Morocco. It names Fnideq, M’diq, Martil, and Tetouan as locations where seasonal rentals reportedly served as temporary lodging for migrants before their attempted crossings.
The CNI also points to the alleged use of jet skis and fishing boats to transport people toward the Spanish-occupied enclave. However, the report’s claims do not in themselves establish who coordinated the alleged network or whether its activities formed part of a centrally directed operation.
Judge María Tardón, who oversees the judicial investigation into the July events, requested the intelligence report to help establish how the mass arrivals unfolded and what authorities knew before they began.
Spanish intelligence monitored calls for crossings
According to the CNI, its services had tracked the rise in migration pressure around Ceuta, as well as social media messages that encouraged people to attempt the crossing.
The intelligence service reportedly alerted Spain’s National Immigration and Border Center on July 28, two days before the mass arrivals. It then issued a risk assessment on July 29 as concerns about a possible influx grew.
The report also acknowledges that Moroccan authorities were aware of the increase in migration pressure. The CNI said Moroccan security forces intercepted more people on July 29, although it considered the Royal Gendarmerie’s checkpoints insufficient to prevent the subsequent influx.
The mass arrivals began at around 11 a.m. on July 30, according to the intelligence assessment.
The report’s account places the events within a broader sequence of warnings, security measures, and movements toward Ceuta. It does not, however, resolve all questions about the organization of the crossings or the actions of the various parties before the influx.
Judge seeks testimony from Ceuta resident
Separately, Tardón has asked authorities to identify and summon a man named Ahmed, a Ceuta resident who reportedly warned Spanish officials about unusual movements in Fnideq and gatherings on the Moroccan side of the border before the events.
The request followed testimony from a Spanish official who said Ahmed had provided information about those developments in advance.
The judge has also asked authorities to identify the security personnel who communicated with Ahmed and provide documents related to meetings, surveillance recordings, and intelligence and security reports relevant to the case.
These requests aim to clarify what Spanish authorities knew before July 30 and whether the information they received prompted any specific action.
The CNI report and the judge’s latest requests form part of an ongoing judicial inquiry into the circumstances of the mass arrivals. The investigation seeks to establish the sequence of events and assess the available evidence, while the report’s allegations remain subject to judicial scrutiny.
