Three migrants found hidden inside three different cars in Melilla

THE Guardia Civil stopped three different cars within 24 hours between December 15 and 16 at the Beni-Enzar customs post between Melilla and Morocco and found secret areas in the cars, each containing an African migrant trying to gain entry to Spanish territory.

According to the authorities, there is no doubt that these desperate people are paying large amounts of money to organised crime bosses in order to try to enter the European Union.

In these cases, the vehicles used were a Ford Fiesta, and two R21 and Renault Laguna models, where secret compartments were concealed behind the dashboard, on the front bumper next to the radiator and behind the rear bumper.

Thanks to the knowledge and the alertness of the officers involved, two of the people they discovered, one a young woman, had to be taken urgently to hospital as they were experiencing difficulty breathing, extreme weakness, and loss of consciousness, but it is reported that they are recovering well.

In two cases, the drivers managed to flee the area, returning to Morocco although they lost their cars, whilst others were detained, and have been sent to prison. The average charge to each migrant is believed to be in the region of €4,000 which makes the risk worth taking for the drivers and if the migrants die or are caught after arriving in Melilla, it makes little difference to them.