Ceuta authorities arrest Belyounech phantom boat migrant smugglers

Ceuta authorities arrested two individuals on Monday, after they were attempting to irregularly transport minor Moroccans to Spanish soil.

This past weekend, a video surfaced online showing a small jet phantom boat in Morocco’s Belyounech beach, offering to transport minors to Spain.

The video went viral, and Spanish authorities quickly intervened, apprehending the suspects.

They loaded around 8 irregular migrants into the boat, after quickly approaching the beach, hastily urging the youth to get on quickly.

The two Spaniards were found to from Ceuta and the other from Algeciras.

Authorities confiscated their passports, as they are awaiting trial for migrant trafficking, risking imprisonment.

Both were arrested in an operation carried out by the Guardia Civil in the middle of the Strait of Gibraltar, after the boatmen escaped to the Peninsula without the Moroccan forces being able to abort their departure, according El Faro de Ceuta news outlet.

Phantom boat appears in Belyounech offering to take minors to Spain.#Morocco #Spain #Tangier#HespressEng pic.twitter.com/u9MMIdDA5o

— Hespress English (@HespressEnglish) May 16, 2023

As the summer season approaches, irregular migrations gangs are already launching their operations, made easy by favourable weather conditions.

Last year as well, irregular migrants were also seen departing from Moroccan beaches, as civilians watched in shock.

The traffickers used small shafts, phantom boats and jet skies to snuggle hopeful migrants to Europe.