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Doha – Spanish authorities have detained a Moroccan couple residing in Móstoles, Madrid, for allegedly trafficking two Moroccan minors into Spain using their own children’s passports.
The arrests came after an extensive investigation by Spain’s National Police following suspicious border crossing activities in Melilla.
According to Spanish media reports, the couple, who hold long-term Spanish residency permits, allegedly facilitated the illegal entry of two Moroccan minors – a 17-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy – through the Beni Enzar border crossing in Melilla.
The investigation revealed that the woman made multiple trips between Morocco and Melilla, during which she used her own children’s Spanish passports to smuggle the minors across the border.
The case first came to light in late July when the 17-year-old Moroccan girl appeared at a Local Police station in Melilla, claiming she had entered the city by boat through the port’s breakwater.
However, the Unit Against Illegal Immigration Networks and Documentary Fraud (UCRIF) found “numerous inconsistencies in her story” and launched what police described as an “arduous and complex investigation.”
“The minor displayed another person’s passport and, aided by a woman – the one now detained in Madrid – managed to enter Melilla,” a spokesperson for Melilla’s Police Headquarters stated.
The teenage girl has since been arrested for document forgery, and her case has been referred to the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office.
Read also: EU to Offer Comprehensive Partnership Deal to Morocco to Stem Irregular Migration
The investigation uncovered that after successfully smuggling the girl into Melilla, the husband later used the same method to transport the 15-year-old boy to Málaga via maritime route, evading port police controls.
The couple’s scheme involved using the passports of their own children, who hold Spanish nationality.
In October, investigators learned that the family had traveled directly from Morocco to Madrid. The Local Immigration and Border Brigade of the National Police Station in Móstoles was called in to assist, leading to the couple’s arrest.
They face charges of document forgery and crimes against the rights of foreign citizens.
The case has been transferred to the Court of First Instance and Preliminary Investigation Number Four in Melilla for further proceedings.
The investigation highlights ongoing concerns about human trafficking operations between Morocco and Spain, particularly involving minors through established border crossings.
This case emerges as Morocco continues its broader efforts against human trafficking.
According to recent government reports, Moroccan authorities have disrupted nearly 49,000 attempted smuggling operations and dismantled 210 criminal networks since the beginning of the year.
The Royal Navy has also rescued over 14,000 individuals from dangerous sea crossings in both the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
