In Spain, nearly 3 in 10 illegal minor immigrants have already committed at least one criminal act. This high crime rate among young Moroccans stems from the laxity of the Spanish authorities.

According to the Arabic-speaking daily, these data contrast with those shared by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which establishes the number of Moroccan minors who have managed to cross the Strait at nearly 5,500 cases, the vast majority of which squat the streets the enclaves of Sebta and Melilia, in the region of Andalusia or further north, in the capital, Madrid.

Faced with such a situation, the Spanish authorities are worried that this vulnerable population, often the target of small jihadist groups, is shifting into extremism, into drug trafficking, and in some cases even joining pedophilia networks. Under the supervision of the Spanish Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, the government in Madrid urgently mobilized several reception centers to accommodate these minors, especially those with no relatives in Spain.

In the same vein, a study conducted by the Secretary of State for Security Affairs on the link between illegal immigration and crime in the Iberian Peninsula underlines that Moroccan minors occupy the first place among detainees incarcerated in institutions Spanish penitentiaries, or nearly 25%. They are mostly involved in drug trafficking and in cases of theft or rape, or even prostitution.

The study on the crimes committed by immigrant minors who entered Spain illegally shows that almost 3 in 10 minors have already committed at least one criminal act. According to the report, this high crime rate among immigrant youth stems from the laxity of the authorities, given the privileges enjoyed by minors in the Spanish Penal Code.

It should be noted that an agreement concluded two years ago between the two Moroccan and Spanish authorities for the repatriation of minors did not materialize on the ground, under pressure from NGOs and the constitutional court which decided to preserve the rights of those left behind.

Znagui

New York @09/16/20