Express & Star

People smugglers charged thousands for jet ski trip to Europe

The Moroccan gang has been broken up by Spanish authorities.

Published
The jet ski gang operated in the Strait of Gibraltar (PA)

Spanish authorities have broken up a Moroccan gang that used powerful jet skis to smuggle migrants across the Strait of Gibraltar.

The trips took half an hour and cost 4,000 euros (£3,494).

Police say each jet ski carried between one and three migrants and a skipper over the less than 10 miles from Morocco to Spain.

The overall total of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Africa, the number arriving on jet skis is relatively small, but their use has increased sharply.

Spain’s Guardia Civil and National Police, along with Europol, said the gang also used jet skis to smuggle cannabis.

Officials said the trafficked migrants either stayed in Spain or moved on to France or Italy.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.