Guardia Civil and Policía Nacional have in Ceuta mid- and late September raided several so-called casas-patera and pisos-patera They raided flats, basements and garages in different districts during operations on 16, 19, 24 and 25 September. Migrants were being housed there in cramped and, in some cases, unhygienic conditions. According to consistent local reports, between a handful and as many as 30 people were found at each property, including minors. Arrests were made in several cases.
According to information from investigators cited in regional and national media, those affected paid an average of around €15 a night for a place to sleep. In some cases, additional services were also said to have been offered – from small sums for charging a mobile phone to large amounts for arranging a crossing to mainland Spain. In the accounts cited, police point to the risk of particularly vulnerable people being exploited.
The latest measures follow an increase in arrivals since the end of July, when thousands of people crossed the border into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, according to local media. Since then, the security authorities have been carrying out coordinated checks to locate hiding places and dismantle networks believed to be organising irregular accommodation and, in some cases, onward journeys. Operations have taken place, among other areas, in the city centre and in the districts of Loma Colmenar, El Príncipe and Benítez documented.
According to consistent media reports, the authorities are initiating administrative proceedings against people found at the properties; prosecutors and police are considering criminal action against suspected operators and intermediaries for aiding irregular entry, exploitation, and breaches of health and safety requirements. Several reports cite official security force spokespeople as sources; detailed written statements have in some cases been paraphrased.
The situation is intensifying debate about the swift accommodation and transfer to the mainland of migrants who remain in Ceuta. Local representatives and aid organisations point out that many of those affected have no access to regular reception facilities and have very limited financial means. Observers see a twofold challenge: dismantling commercial exploitation schemes operating from flats and garages in the short term, and establishing reliable capacity for reception, identification and legal proceedings in the medium term. Forecasts of further police operations or specific transfers to the mainland remain uncertain and, according to the official position, depend on how the situation develops and on available capacity.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).