• They used 'narco-boats' or 'taxi boats', with which they made trips from the Alicante coast to Algeria transporting narcotic substances and taking advantage of the return trip to illegally transport migrants to the Spanish coast.

• They had a closed facility in an area near the city of Alicante that was used as a private storage facility for vehicles and high-speed boats that served as a nursery and a crane company for transporting the boats.

• Seven people were arrested for crimes of facilitating illegal immigration, belonging to a criminal organization, crimes against public health and smuggling.

• Three semi-rigid boats measuring more than eight metres in length with high-powered outboard motors and trailers, three high-end vehicles, 41 canisters of petrol, 11 drums with chemical components for the preparation of narcotics, various mobile phones, GPS devices and tools for repairing boats were seized.

May 24, 2024.- Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency and the National Police have carried out a joint investigation into the crimes of facilitating illegal immigration, drug trafficking and smuggling. This investigation has led to the dismantling of a criminal organisation based in Alicante, made up mainly of citizens of Algerian origin, dedicated to transporting narcotic substances, mainly cocaine and synthetic drug pills, from the coast of Alicante to Algeria, and then making the return journey with illegal migrants, using high-speed semi-rigid inflatable boats, known as 'narco-boats' or 'pateras taxis', which allowed round trips to be made in just a few hours, thereby obtaining large economic benefits.

The police investigation began when the National Police groups specialising in the investigation of networks and organisations dedicated to the illegal introduction of people from Africa to our country became aware of the existence of a criminal organisation made up of citizens of Algerian origin dedicated to drug trafficking, facilitating illegal immigration and smuggling through the purchase, storage and use of speedboats to transport migrants, charging them between 6,000 and 10,000 euros per person.

' 'Narcoboat' Nursery

Based on this information, a joint operation was established between the National Police and the Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency, carrying out surveillance and investigations in coastal areas of Alicante where movements of 'narco-boats' have been detected, finally managing to locate a farm that served as a 'nursery' for these vessels.

As a result of the surveillance carried out around the aforementioned farm, investigators observed a movement of vehicles entering and leaving towing the boats, also verifying that some of them were loaded with gasoline canisters prepared to make the crossing between the coasts of Spain and Africa.

As a result of this investigation, after a series of actions and follow-ups carried out on the people who were transporting the vehicles and boats, it was possible to verify the storage and use of several 'narco-boats' by the criminal organization.

Organizational structure of the criminal organization

The organisational structure of the criminal group under investigation was mainly made up of citizens of Algerian and Moroccan origin, although it was observed during the investigation that among the members of the organisation there were also Spanish citizens who provided logistical support when launching and collecting and depositing the boats after navigation, thus forming an organisation of an international nature, as they needed people in Algeria to advertise, obtain and organise illegal immigrants to bring them to our shores, after paying large sums of money.

The novelty found in this modus operandi is that the boats did not depart from the African continent, but from Alicante to Algeria to transport narcotic substances and bring people on the return trip, with the organization based in our country, where they had their base of operations.

To carry out the operation of the organization, there was a clear distribution of functions; While some were responsible for intermediation, purchasing and collecting boats, others were in charge of preparing the narcotic substances and preparing the boats, embarking and leaving our coasts as quickly as possible.

The financial capacity they had was financed through a company based in France, managed by several individuals who, in turn, were responsible for collecting the boats in Spain and finding people for logistics and manufacturing of narcotic substances, launching boats and transporting immigrants to our country.

As for its logistical structure, it was extremely well planned, with a private vehicle depot that served as a storage facility and a crane company to carry out the transfers of the boats when they were being moved, simulating legal transport in broad daylight. In addition, they had numerous human resources in criminal operations such as crane operators, petaqueros (people dedicated to filling gas canisters at service stations), mechanics, counter-surveillance personnel, pilots and personnel dedicated to launching the boats, as well as a great capacity to synthesize drugs or acquire them for transport.

Departure to sea and pick up of boats, from an urban beach in Alicante

This investigation has revealed the use of semi-rigid boats for the illegal transport of migrants to national territory, with full evidence, after several surveillances and follow-ups, that at least two boats that left the province of Alicante were used in this way, confirming that one of them was intercepted on a beach in Almería transporting 25 migrants of Algerian origin and confirming that said boat was the property of the criminal organization under investigation.

Operational phase

Once all the necessary investigations had been carried out, the exploitation phase of the operation was carried out, in which agents from the National Police and Customs Surveillance participated, establishing a police device that led to the arrest of seven people for crimes of facilitating illegal immigration, belonging to a criminal organization, crimes against public health and smuggling.

Following the arrests, an inspection was carried out at the places where the boats were kept, seizing a total of three semi-rigid boats, over eight metres long and equipped with engines of over 200 HP each, and their respective trailers. A total of 41 canisters of gasoline were found inside the vessels and were seized, as well as three high-end vehicles, mobile phones, GPS devices and tools for repairing the vessels.

Eleven drums of approximately 25 litres each were also found, containing different types of highly flammable chemical components used to prepare narcotic substances.

The detainees, of Algerian, Moroccan and Spanish nationality, aged between 40 and 58, were brought before the Alicante Court of First Instance.

The use and possession of this type of semi-rigid inflatable boats with certain characteristics, without having been officially registered with the Customs Department of the Tax Agency, constitutes a criminal offence provided for in the Smuggling Law.

The operation is still ongoing and further arrests are not ruled out.