Moroccan suspects released on bail after fatal crash

Two of the four Moroccan suspects implicated in the fatal collision that killed two Spanish Civil Guard officers in Barbate on February 9th have been temporarily released on bail, according to Yabiladi.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office has allowed the temporary bail of the Moroccan defendants after they paid sums of €10,000 and €15,000, respectively. Their release is subject to strict legal conditions, requiring them to remain in the country, hand in their passports, and report to court on a regular basis.

Both men are believed to be part of the boat crew that struck a Spanish Civil Guard patrol boat, resulting in two casualties. The two other suspects, also Moroccan nationals, including the driver of the speedboat, Karim El Bakkali, have yet to be granted bail, with the fourth suspect being officially denied provisional release by the judge.

Footage widely shared online shows the speedboat, allegedly part of a smuggling network, deliberately colliding with the Civil  Guard vessel at high speed, the deadly impact claimed the lives of two maritime officers on duty at the time.

The case drew national attention due to the violent nature of the incident and its ties to the authorities growing concern of drug trafficking between Morocco and Spain, particularly in coastal areas such as the Cadiz province, where smuggling operations have become increasingly frequent and dangerous.

As reported by Maghrebi, one particular incident, which took place on February 19th, found Spanish law enforcement uncovering a 50-meter-long, 12-metre-deep underground passage used to move drugs. That investigation resulted in 14 arrests and the seizure of 6000 kilos of hashish.

Authorities continue to investigate the wider criminal network believed to be behind the fatal crash, as Spain increases efforts to crack down on increasingly sophisticated, well-funded cross-border trafficking operations in the Strait of Gibraltar and surrounding coastal regions.

Yabiladi, Maghrebi