Spanish police have busted a vast human trafficking gang smuggling people across western Europe.
According to local media, 29 suspects have been arrested with 11 of them being detained in the city of Almeria in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia.
Video credit: CEN
Reports said that the suspects, mostly Moroccan, used bus companies based in Morocco, Spain and France to transport the victims from Almeria to their final destination in France and Belgium.
The organisation allegedly had a net of recruiters based in Morocco, Algeria, Mali and Syria.
One suspect is accused of taking children from Mali from a protection centre in Almeria to be sold on in Europe.
According to reports, the buses used were also trafficking cannabis, tobacco and endangered animals.
The investigation ended up with the arrest of 29 people, mostly from Morocco.
Of the total arrests, 26 took place in Spain while three were detained in France.
Reports said that 11 suspects were arrested in Almeria, five in Murcia, three in Alicante, three in Barcelona, two in Valencia, one in Tarragona and another in Bilbao.
Eleven of the 29 suspects have been sent to prison without bail, according to reports.
According to local media, the police also seized 33,000 EUR (29,400 GBP) in cash as well as documentation, vehicles, computers and over 200 kilogrammes (441 lbs) of hashish.
The Spanish police have been cooperating with Europol as the investigation continues.
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Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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