Three Men Imprisioned for ‘Skippering’ Boats with 28 Migrants in Almeria

THE judicial authority has ordered the imprisonment of three men of Algerian origin detained by the National Police for the alleged commission of a crime against the rights of foreign citizens, allegedly “skipper” two boats with 28 people from the coast of Algeria until they were rescued by the Maritime Rescue Service of Almeria.

As reported by Andalucia Informacion, on Tuesday, June 15, a black inflatable boat was intercepted on the coast of Almeria in which a total of twelve Algerian migrants were travelling – ten men and two women. The boat measured five meters in length and had a 70 horsepower outboard motor, as reported by the Police in a statement.

Once the health status of all the occupants had been verified, the National Police officers began with the administrative procedures included in the Immigration Law for illegal migrants arriving by boat. In a coordinated manner, police investigations “aimed at discovering the members of the organized networks that make this type of journey their ‘modus vivendi'” began in a coordinated manner.

The investigations carried out with the support of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), as well as the interviews carried out with the members of the patera, allowed the agents to establish that “one month before the trip takes place”, the alleged “criminal organization” began to make contacts in Algeria with different people, offering a maritime transport to Spain in exchange for about €4,900. Once the payment was made, they warned the travellers so that at 02.00 hours on June 14 they would be on the beach of Aint Turk in Algeria, stripped of luggage or food, since the trip would last about eight hours.