Number of illegal immigrants arriving in Murcia cut in half
Despite this, 80% of migrant boats still manage to dock in the Region of Murcia
The number of irregular migrants reaching the coast of Murcia has been cut in half this summer, although most of the small boats or pateras that set out still manage to land.
Between April and mid-August, 673 people arrived on the Region of Murcian coast, compared with 1,292 in the same period of 2024. Most were Algerian men.
The waves of arrivals that once forced large-scale responses in Cartagena, Águilas and other coastal towns have eased considerably. In 2020 and 2021, the pressure was so intense that the authorities had to set up a temporary care camp at Escombreras, open a sports hall and even use the Cenajo Hotel to house new arrivals.
In December 2024, the Ministry of the Interior opened the Temporary Care Centre for Foreigners (CATE).
A government spokesperson explained that “a new migration route has been opened, largely because there has been significant police pressure against the mafias for years, which has yielded results.” This year, most pateras head for the Balearic Islands rather than mainland Spain.
They highlighted the “coordinated work” of the National Police Immigration and Border Brigade and the Guardia Civil, which has led to dozens of arrests. In 2024 alone, 60 boat captains were detained, along with 16 so far this year.
Police investigations, backed by the Prosecutor’s Office, have “dismantled numerous transportation, temporary accommodation and reception networks for irregular immigrants.”
Many of those arriving pass through the Region on their way to France and Germany, where family and friends are waiting.
Other sources familiar with operations say that the diversion of routes to the Balearic Islands comes down to several factors. Criminal groups have chosen the “Balearic route,” particularly to Cabrera, Mallorca and Ibiza, where there is little tradition of such arrivals and therefore less specialised surveillance compared to Murcia and Almería.
Most migrants, usually Algerians under 30, once departed from Oran, where clandestine shipyards mass-produced boats. Recently though, departures appear to have shifted further east, cutting the distance to the Balearic Islands.
Despite the 280-kilometre journey, this has become one of the busiest western Mediterranean routes this summer.
Although fewer boats are arriving in Murcia, the Guardia Civil’s Maritime Service, which relies on the SIVE radar system, is facing a bigger challenge. Up until 2023, officers intercepted around 50% of boats before they reached land. Now, only 20% are stopped, according to the government.
The latest incident was last Sunday, when a small boat landed between Cabo de Palos and La Manga, in the stretch between Levante and Amoladeras beaches. Families on the sand watched as the vessel approached, ran aground and its occupants fled.
Image: Archive
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