In a statement, the law enforcement agency said that it was “a few days ago” when it launched an investigation to identify those responsible for illegally bringing people to mainland Spain, after several incidents were reported. Specifically, at least 63 migrants landed on a beach in Calblanque on August 31. According to their testimony, they had paid several thousand euros to board the boat and said the skippers had assaulted them during the crossing, with some suffering injuries of varying severity.
Apparently, they were beaten to make them keep their heads down and were even threatened and assaulted with a machete and pepper spray when they approached the coast and were ordered to jump quickly, even though they could not swim, investigators said.
TWO SKIPPERS ARRESTED AFTER 63 MIGRANTS LAND
While the migrants were being assisted by Civil Guard patrols deployed in the area, a patrol boat from the force’s Maritime Service followed the suspected vessel, which had fled out to sea. It was located 12 miles southeast of Monte Cenizas, and its two skippers were arrested. The vessel, which had four high-powered engines and was 15 meters long, was seized and taken to the port of Cartagena.
A few days later, on September 2, another Civil Guard operation culminated in the interception of a 10-meter inflatable boat with two engines at Cabo Cope, in Águilas. Officers spotted a suspicious vessel, and a Civil Guard Maritime Service patrol boat and a force helicopter managed to locate it anchored near Cabo Cope.
SEA CHASE ENDS IN A COLLISION
When they noticed the police presence, the crew started the engines and fled at high speed, ignoring the Civil Guard officers’ instructions. Despite repeated orders from the patrol boat to stop, they continued sailing. At one point, the two vessels—the Civil Guard boat and the fleeing craft—were facing each other, “forcing [the patrol boat] to turn sharply to avoid a head-on collision.”
After this, the suspects’ vessel ended up perpendicular to the official patrol boat and began a “dangerous maneuver” that, given the proximity of the two vessels, would cause it to ram the force’s boat.
When the collision could not be avoided, one of the officers “drew his service weapon and fired two warning shots, without injuring any of the crew members,” authorities confirmed. Even so, the suspected vessel struck the force’s boat on one side. It then began fleeing out to sea while the crew threw fuel containers overboard.
Once they had recovered from the collision, the Civil Guard officers resumed the chase and “managed to catch up with the vessel, board it and arrest its two occupants.” The boat still had 28 gasoline containers on board. Three Civil Guard officers suffered minor injuries as a result of the ramming and impact.
THE TWO VESSELS WERE APPARENTLY LINKED
Investigators were able to link this vessel to the one intercepted in Cartagena waters days earlier. In both cases, high-speed, large vessels were used, each fitted with several engines of up to 350 horsepower.
The investigation, conducted by Civil Guard officers specializing in criminal offenses related to facilitating irregular immigration, drug trafficking and related crimes, enabled investigators to link this vessel to the one intercepted in Cartagena waters days earlier. In both cases, high-speed, large vessels were used, each fitted with several engines of up to 350 horsepower.
The detainees are accused of facilitating irregular immigration, smuggling, assaulting law enforcement officers, causing injuries, causing damage, piracy and the illicit transportation of liquid fuels.
