MADRID (Reuters) – Eight members of a gang suspected of trafficking migrants from Spain’s North African enclave of Melilla to the Spanish mainland have been arrested, police said on Saturday.
Migrants were charged 2,000 euros ($2,400) each to make the journey across the Mediterranean in speedboats.
The gang is also suspected of transporting hashish from Melilla to Andalusia in southern Spain, the Civil Guard and National police forces said in a statement.
Those arrested were Spanish and Moroccan nationals. Two other suspects were under investigation.
Police seized three speedboats, 335 kg of hashish, 17 vehicles, and seven mobile phones.
($1 = 0.8304 euros)
(Reporting by Graham Keeley Elena Rodriguez; Editing by Alison Williams)
