Four Gibraltarians accused of helping migrants enter Spain from Gibraltar, enter plea bargains.

Four Gibraltarians of Moroccan origin, and one Moroccan man from the same family, have entered a plea bargain in a court in Algeciras after they were accused of helping Moroccan nationals enter Spain from Gibraltar.

The case dates back to 2019, and the investigation involved the Royal Gibraltar Police and Spain’s Policía Nacional.

Two local men and one Moroccan, had been arrested in Gibraltar on European Arrest Warrants. They were extradited to Spain where the other two arrests took place. 

In January 2020 GBC reported 47 people, including two locals, had been arrested in the joint operation.

Having entered a plea bargain, two of those charged have accepted a two year prison sentence and a suspended sentence of four years.

The other three, described as accomplices, have been given a one year prison sentence and a three year suspended sentence.

None of the defendants will actually go to prison with the court looking at mitigating circumstances, namely the amount of time it's taken for the case to go to trial.

A branch in Morocco targeted prospective migrants, preparing fraudulent documents to allow them to obtain UK Tourist visas

The group would then book flights and accommodation in Gibraltar and cross the migrants into Spain, with some continuing to destinations including Madrid, Barcelona and Murcia.

Prosecutors were seeking prison sentences of between four and eight years.