Two Algerian nationals were handed down a six-year prison sentence by the Almeria court on Wednesday for their involvement in the transportation of undocumented illegal migrants to Spanish shores, reported Spain’s News Agency (EFE).
The verdict, which carries a four-year sentence for violation of foreign citizens’ rights and an additional two years for two counts of manslaughter, stems from their involvement in the deaths of two migrants.
According to the same source, the fatalities occurred while transporting approximately 20 people aboard a dinghy from an Algerian city to the Almeria coastal region. For their services, they allegedly received approximately 7,500 euros from each would-be migrant.
The smugglers jeopardized the lives of their clients with the rigid boat lacking even basic safety measures, as the doomed structure drifted imminently to peril almost immediately after its departure, according to law enforcement reports and testimonies.
The trafficking of migrants from Algeria to Spain has become a profitable industry, according to local media reports, with grave concerns over the sizeable increase in illegal immigration in Spain.
Local authorities report that Algerians account for 73% of the total number of these undocumented aliens who arrive on Spanish shores.