Agents of the National Police in Ibiza have arrested the alleged skippers of two boats used as “pateras-taxi” for the irregular transport of migrants from Algeria to the coast of Formentera. In total, the boats transported 40 people, distributed in two crossings in which 17 and 23 people were rescued, respectively.
The four arrested, who had previous experience in this type of crossing, have been brought to court and the judge has ordered them to be remanded in custody as alleged perpetrators of a crime of promoting illegal immigration.
Offshore rescue and shore location
The first operation took place on October 27th, when Salvamento Marítimo rescued 17 male migrants of Algerian origin 53 miles south of Formentera. All of them were traveling in a small boat of about six meters in length equipped with a Yamaha outboard motor.
A few hours later, in a second incident, the Guardia Civil located another skiff with 23 people on board, including 22 adult men and a minor, also of Algerian origin. The boat was intercepted near the coast of Formentera, in similar circumstances to the first one.
Boats used as “patera-taxi”.
Investigations suggest that those arrested were part of a network dedicated to the smuggling of migrants from the Algerian coasts to Spain, using fast boats with limited capacity to ensure several trips in a row.
According to police sources, the boats were used as “pateras-taxi”, an increasingly common system in the western Mediterranean that allows traffickers to make multiple crossings in short periods of time.
Pre-trial detention and continuation of the investigation
After being detained by the National Police, the four alleged employers were handed over to the duty court of Ibiza, which ordered their provisional imprisonment while the investigation continues.
Authorities are still investigating whether those arrested belong to a criminal organization dedicated to the illegal trafficking of people between Algeria and the Balearic Islands.
