Spanish National Police dismantle an international network dedicated to trafficking minors from the Canary Islands to France
As part of Operation Triton, the Spanish National Police have dismantled an international network in Spain dedicated to trafficking minors from the Canary Islands to France. Eleven people have been arrested, four of whom have been remanded in custody for crimes related to organized crime, document forgery, offenses against family rights and duties, obstruction of justice, and child pornography. The criminal group used routes and contacts in Morocco, Ivory Coast, and Spain to transport and fraudulently document the minors, ultimately destined for France.
The investigation began after the disappearance of 13 minors from a children’s center in Arrecife (Lanzarote) and one more from the center in San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Gran Canaria) between November 2024 and May 2025. Given the seriousness of the events, a device was activated to clarify the circumstances and whereabouts of the minors.
Three minors intercepted at the airport
In May 2025, agents intercepted three minors at Lanzarote airport accompanied by an adult citizen of Mauritanian origin, who was trying to board a flight with them to Madrid.
Following initial inquiries, it was confirmed that the minors were under the guardianship of a foster care center and that their transfer was being carried out without authorization or valid documentation. The accompanying adult was arrested along with one of the minors, who turned out to be an adult, for crimes of document forgery, violations of the rights of foreign citizens, and child abduction.
transnational criminal organization
Subsequent investigations revealed a highly organized network with a clear division of roles, dedicated to trafficking minors from state-run care facilities to France. The organization had logistical support in Morocco for transporting and crossing borders, contacts in Ivory Coast for sending falsified documents, and an infrastructure in Spain to temporarily house the minors and manage their passage to France, the network’s intended final destination.
During the operational phase, investigators carried out two house searches in Lanzarote, seizing numerous documents, personal belongings, electronic devices, and cash. This phase culminated in a total of 11 arrests: nine in Lanzarote, one in Madrid, and one in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Four of those arrested were remanded in custody as alleged perpetrators of crimes including membership in a criminal organization, document forgery, human trafficking, offenses against family rights and duties, obstruction of justice, and child pornography.
The investigation remains open with the aim of locating and protecting the missing children, and of establishing the necessary channels of international police cooperation for the full clarification of the facts.
