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The Guardia Civil have arrested two French brothers, aged 20 and 30, on suspicion of smuggling irregular migrants from North Africa to Spain in what officials are calling a ‘taxi patera’, or taxi boat. The brazen duo first came to the attention of the authorities when they rented a mooring for their inflatable boat in Los Alcázares.

 

Far from flying under the radar, the brothers docked their illegal speedboat in plain view. The moored vessel had a 225hp motor of the kind usually associated drug trafficking or the illegal movement of people. These boats are prohibited for private use and owners must apply to the Special Registry of Operators of High-Speed Inflatable and Semi-Rigid Boats and get authorisation to take them out on the water.

 

Once the suspicious boat was located, operation 'Mercúrico' kicked off and the Guardia Civil and Local Police set up a special surveillance around the Los Alcázares port. It didn’t take long before they spotted the pair setting sail for North Africa in the dead of night.

 

Several hours later, operators saw a similar boat approaching the coast of Murcia and between 15 and 20 people disembarked on a beach in Cabo de Palos. A patrol was sent to round up these migrants while another waited in Los Alcázares for the return of the original patera.

 

The 'Mercúrico' operation culminated in the location of 10 undocumented Algerian nationals on the beaches of Calblanque, and, minutes later, with the arrest of the two suspects upon their arrival at the port.

 

The brothers have been remanded in custody and will be charged with crimes against the rights of foreign citizens and smuggling.

 

 

Image: Guardia Civil