Spanish police have submitted evidence to a National High Court judge alleging that Moroccan undercover agents orchestrated the July migrant surge into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, directly contradicting the Spanish government's official position that Morocco cooperated fully to prevent the crossing.
Documents from the CENIF (national centre for immigration and borders), part of the National Police, submitted to Judge María Tardón at the National High Court, detail suspicions of an operation by undercover Moroccan agents directing the border crossing. The report includes five videos as annexes, and Sur has gained access to those documents, the images and the police statements of three Moroccans who crossed the border.
The CENIF report refutes the Spanish government's official version that Morocco cooperated as much as it could to prevent the assault. It describes the Moroccan response on 30 July as "total permissiveness" and states that no serious attempt was made to disperse the crowd. The investigators also refer to the crowd being "actively guided" towards the water and the access points to Tarajal.
Witnesses have identified police and administrative officials from Morocco. The investigations point to possible coordination between plainclothes officers, uniformed officers and local authorities. According to the report, Moroccan officers in uniform were giving instructions on how to get past obstacles and organising access to crossing points. In some videos, they can be seen standing by the barbed-wire fence and the breakwater, whilst whole groups move forward unhindered.
The CENIF claims that some civilians even gave orders to the uniformed officers. It attributes to them "behaviour indicative of control, leadership and management of the situation".
One of the faces has a name in the statement of a former chief sergeant of the Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie. He identified the bacha of Castillejos, Youssef Haji, a local administrative authority, and stated that he saw him on July 30 near the Senator Hotel, very close to the border, along with 20-30 agents. According to the report, Haji "was talking on his mobile phone while speaking to the officers and gesturing to them with his hands". When asked if he was giving instructions, the former gendarme replied without hesitation: "Yes, I was giving orders at that moment."
The witness also identified, from photographs, the head of security in Tétouan, Mohamed El Oualidi. El Oualidi's name resurfaces in the interrogation of M.A., who swam ashore at around 5pm. He recognised the police commander and Younes Tazi, the wali of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, in the footage. He also identified a secretary from the provincial administration.
Z.E.Y., who crossed at around 9am, identified the man in file number six as a lieutenant in the auxiliary forces stationed at Tarajal. In the footage, he is dressed in civilian clothes and walking against the flow of people. At no point does he attempt to enter Ceuta. The witness, a former member of the armed forces, said he recognised him from previous attempts to enter. He specified that he did not see him on the day of the assault.
The police report describes a phased arrival. First to arrive were mainly young people equipped with wetsuits, flippers and flotation devices. Later, adults, families and children appeared. By nightfall, young people ready to swim were once again in the majority. For the police, this sequence contributed to the reception centre becoming overwhelmed and limited the Spanish response.
The spread of the message that the border was open caused the movement to multiply. Among the calls the CENIF has tracked is one that is particularly explicit: "Come down (sic) to Castillejos, there are a thousand of us and we're getting in. I'll show you the way." The campaign spread from open Facebook groups to closed WhatsApp chats.
Investigators place the organisers on the ground at the third level of a five-tier structure. Below them are those who crossed the border and those who shared the calls to action online. Above them are those responsible for planning and directing. The police have not yet managed to identify the members of those two upper tiers.
There are 24 files on alleged "facilitators" and a further ten on uniformed officers.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Directly challenges the Spanish government's official narrative that Morocco cooperated to prevent the migrant surge, potentially straining diplomatic relations
- If proven, it would show state-orchestrated migration as a pressure tactic, a pattern seen in other border disputes
- The case raises questions about sovereignty and legality of foreign agents operating on Spanish territory, and the human cost of using migrants as political leverage
Background
The Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla on the North African coast are the European Union's only land borders with Africa. They have been flashpoints for migration, with periodic mass crossing attempts. On July 30, thousands of migrants attempted to enter Ceuta, overwhelming border guards. The Spanish government under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has relied on Moroccan cooperation to manage migration, a relationship that has been both cooperative and tense. This police report suggests a very different picture of events that day.
Key Perspectives
National Police (CENIF) investigators: Allege Moroccan undercover officers and uniformed personnel orchestrated and guided the crowd, showing total permissiveness and active guidance, contradicting the government's version.
Witnesses (former Moroccan gendarmerie sergeant, M.A., Z.E.Y.): Have identified Moroccan officials including the bacha of Castillejos, the head of security in Tétouan and others, describing them giving orders or directing the flow.
Spanish government (previously stated position): Maintained that Morocco cooperated as much as it could to prevent the assault, a version the CENIF report now refutes.
What to Watch
- Whether Judge María Tardón opens a formal investigation and whether any Moroccan officials are called to testify
- The diplomatic reaction from Morocco: Rabat may deny the allegations or counter with its own evidence
- Identification of the two upper tiers of the five-level structure that police have not yet named
Checked
9 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 7 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedSpanish police say Moroccan agents directed the Ceuta border surge.Sur in English: “The Spanish police have zeroed in on these figures dressed in street clothes: they suspect they were directing the migrant surge in July while appearing to be part of it.”
- SupportedThe report alleges that undercover officials directed the crowd.Sur in English: “Documents from the CENIF (national centre for immigration and borders), part of the National Police, submitted to María Tardón, a judge at the National High Court, reveal suspicions regarding an operation by undercover Moroccan agents to orchestrate the border crossing.”
- Partly supportedThe Spanish government's official position was that Morocco cooperated fully to prevent the crossing.Sur in English: “The CENIF report refutes the Spanish government's official version that Morocco cooperated as much as it could to prevent the assault.”
- SupportedThe police report describes Morocco's response on 30 July as “total permissiveness.”Sur in English: “The report describes the Moroccan response on 30 July as “total permissiveness” and states that no serious attempt was made to disperse the crowd.”
- SupportedInvestigators said the crowd was “actively guided” towards the water and Tarajal access points.Sur in English: “The investigators also refer to the crowd being “actively guided” towards the water and the access points to Tarajal.”
- SupportedThe former gendarme said, “Yes, I was giving orders at that moment.”Sur in English: “When asked if he was giving instructions, the former gendarme replied without hesitation: “Yes, I was giving orders at that moment.””
- SupportedM.A. recognised the police commander and Younes Tazi in the footage.Sur in English: “He recognised the police commander and Younes Tazi, the wali of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, in the footage.”
- SupportedThe CENIF tracked a call saying, “Come down (sic) to Castillejos, there are a thousand of us and we're getting in. I'll show you the way.”Sur in English: “Among the calls the CENIF has tracked is one that is particularly explicit: “Come down (sic) to Castillejos, there are a thousand of us and we're getting in. I'll show you the way.””
- SupportedThere are 24 files on alleged facilitators and a further ten on uniformed officers.Sur in English: “There are 24 files on alleged “facilitators” and a further ten on uniformed officers.”