Ongoing Judicial Cooperation Challenges Between Spain and Morocco
The Spanish judge currently probing the circumstances surrounding the mass crossing into the occupied city of Ceuta is facing persistent challenges in judicial cooperation with Morocco. For over a year now, Judge Ana María Tardón of the Spanish National Court has been awaiting a response from Moroccan authorities regarding a judicial request linked to a drug tunnel discovered between Fnideq and the city itself.
According to reports from the newspaper ABC, Judge Tardón has solicited Morocco to conduct investigations aimed at identifying the tunnel's exit points within Moroccan territory, as well as to carry out related investigative measures. Unfortunately, she has yet to receive any response to her inquiries.
Currently, Tardón is investigating the mass crossing incidents that occurred in Ceuta on July 30 and 31, which has brought renewed attention to the drug tunnel case—a situation marked by unanswered cooperation requests directed at Rabat for over a year. The tunnel in question was uncovered on February 19, 2025, within an abandoned brewery in the Tarajal industrial area, situated approximately 12 meters deep and measuring no more than 70 centimeters in width. It is suspected that this tunnel has been utilized for years to smuggle cannabis and individuals away from border crossings.
On July 16, 2025, the judge issued a new order to inquire about the status of the judicial request. Subsequently, the Spanish Ministry of Justice submitted a second request to Moroccan authorities, which, like the first, has also remained unanswered. In the meantime, Tardón has ordered the closure of the tunnel and has mandated enhanced surveillance with cameras and security systems, while the Civil Guard continues to monitor the site under judicial authorization to prevent criminal networks from reusing it.
Currently, Judge Tardón is awaiting reports from specialized police units and the Civil Guard regarding the circumstances surrounding the mass crossing into Ceuta, including security deployments, rescue operations, victims, and survivors, as well as the warnings that Spanish authorities received prior to the crisis. The transfer of this new case to the same judge raises questions about the level of cooperation she might receive from Morocco, especially since determining the responsibilities and the parties behind the mass crossing may require the exchange of security and judicial information between the two countries.
Additionally, Spanish police later uncovered a second tunnel in the same industrial area, whose entrance was concealed behind a massive soundproof refrigerator. Investigations continue to assess the possibility of other passages linking Fnideq to Ceuta.
As reported by ar.telquel.ma.
