Lorraine Williamson
A major international operation led by Spain’s Policía Nacional has brought down a sophisticated criminal network accused of trafficking dozens of migrants into the United Kingdom and Canada using counterfeit passports and falsified boarding documents.
With support from EUROPOL and cross-border coordination involving authorities in six countries, the investigation led to 11 arrests across Gijón, Cantabria, and Madrid. The suspected ringleader is among those detained.
False identities, forged documents and €3,000 per migrant
The gang allegedly specialised in helping mostly Yemeni nationals gain illegal entry to Canada and the UK. They did this by exploiting gaps in airport transit zones and manipulating refugee documentation systems. Migrants were reportedly charged up to €3,000 each for the full package. This included a fake passport, forged boarding pass and a reserved flight booked in someone else’s name.
The operation, uncovered through a tip-off from Canada’s Border Services Agency (CBSA) in late 2024. It revealed over 40 instances of illegal migrant smuggling orchestrated through Spanish airports. Canadian authorities had flagged a pattern of Yemeni nationals attempting to enter the country using forged documents issued in Europe.
From Greece to Gijón: a well-oiled trafficking route
The gang’s modus operandi exploited the refugee intake system in Greece, where many of the migrants first registered and received temporary protection documents. From there, they travelled legally to other European countries. Once in the international transit zone of an airport — often in Spain — a member of the network would hand over a falsified passport and a boarding card.
The documents were linked to legitimate bookings made by the traffickers themselves. This allowed the migrants to board flights using false identities. Surveillance footage, flight reservation records, credit card transactions, and border control data were all pieced together to build the case.
International coordination reveals cross-border links
Authorities in Switzerland, Finland, Austria, Germany, Ireland, and the UK worked in tandem with Spanish investigators as the case widened. EUROPOL provided both strategic and technical support, including the forensic extraction of data from seized phones during the coordinated raids.
Three property searches in Madrid and in the Cantabrian towns of Santoña and Torrelavega uncovered the following key evidence;
- a forged passport
- 10 mobile phones
- a trove of documentation related to airline bookings and money transfers
Criminal enterprise brought to a halt
After months of international cooperation and digital surveillance, Spanish police dismantled the trafficking cell. The arrests of 11 individuals — six in Gijón, four in Cantabria, and one in Madrid — have severely disrupted the gang’s operations.
According to police sources, this case highlights the growing role of criminal networks in facilitating high-cost illegal migration using increasingly advanced tools and tactics. The investigation continues, with authorities now analysing digital evidence for possible connections to other trafficking routes.
Cross-border smuggling under scrutiny
With global migration under renewed focus, this case underscores the challenges governments face in tackling highly coordinated smuggling operations. It also highlights how criminal groups exploit humanitarian systems and border loopholes — charging desperate people thousands of euros for a perilous, illegal journey.
As EUROPOL and international agencies tighten surveillance on such operations, Spain’s latest crackdown sends a clear signal: Europe is stepping up its fight against organised migrant trafficking.