Spanish police have arrested a man suspected of leading a criminal network involved in migrant smuggling and labour exploitation after finding 74 migrants living in overcrowded and hazardous conditions in Ceuta.
The migrants, including 10 unaccompanied minors, were discovered in a building in the Príncipe neighbourhood of the Spanish North African territory, according to a statement from Spain’s Interior Ministry on Thursday, October 22.
Police said the arrested man, a resident of Ceuta, is suspected of facilitating irregular migration and exploiting vulnerable migrants. He has been referred to judicial authorities.
Investigators also found indications that some of the children may have suffered physical abuse, including injuries reportedly caused by dog bites. Authorities are investigating allegations that both adults and minors were exploited for work.
According to police, the building had been used to house migrants waiting for assistance to travel irregularly to mainland Spain.
The discovery follows the clearance of migrant encampments at Benítez and El Trampolín beaches in Ceuta, which forced some migrants to seek shelter elsewhere in the city, including the Príncipe neighbourhood.
The investigation involved cooperation between police units operating along Spain’s southern coast and national authorities, as well as prosecutors specialising in migrant smuggling.
The case highlights the risks facing migrants who lack secure accommodation and depend on informal networks while attempting to reach mainland Europe. Vulnerable people, particularly unaccompanied children, can face heightened risks of abuse, exploitation and unsafe living conditions.
The incident comes amid continued political controversy over migration management in Ceuta following the mass arrivals in July. The situation has placed Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government under pressure ahead of Spain’s scheduled November 29 general election.
A September poll cited by InfoMigrants found that 63 per cent of Spanish respondents disapproved of the government’s handling of the Ceuta migration situation. The conservative Popular Party and far-right Vox have used the issue to criticise the government’s immigration policies.
Sánchez’s administration has also faced criticism over its decision to create a pathway to legal status for hundreds of thousands of foreign residents.
However, migration is competing with other issues in the election campaign, particularly housing affordability and the rising cost of living, which have become major concerns for Spanish voters.
The police investigation in Ceuta underscores the importance of protecting migrants from criminal exploitation while authorities manage irregular arrivals and address the humanitarian challenges facing people stranded in the territory.