An abandoned boat has been discovered on a dog-friendly beach on the Orihuela Costa, triggering an investigation by authorities. Those who went to the beach early on Monday morning, 1st June, found the vessel stranded on the shore.
The Guardia Civil located the boat at 6:25 a.m. However, when the patrol arrived at the scene, only the craft remained. The Guardia Civil said that the boat still contained some clothing, bags and other items, but none of its occupants have been identified.
Specifically, this beach is located on the northern part of the Orihuela coastline, near Torrevieja, between Cala Mosca and Playa Flamenca. It is the only beach within the municipality authorised for dogs. In October 2024, a small boat carrying 13 people arrived at almost the exact same spot. They were assisted by Guardia Civil officers and transferred, except for one person who was under 17, to the immigration detention centre in Valencia.
Shortly after that incident, Vox presented a motion to the Orihuela plenary session entitled “Round-trip ticket to expel undocumented immigrants from the municipality and eliminate aid to associations that help this group.” The proposal caused controversy and strong criticism from Vega Baja Acoge, which requested that the initiative be withdrawn, a request joined by Recicla Alicante and Columbares. Severe weather in Valencia led the PP’s coalition partners to postpone the motion, which was eventually debated in the January 2025 session and rejected by the other groups.
The area is heavily frequented by locals and visitors, who use it not only to bathe their pets but also to do outdoor sports or walk along the pedestrian path that runs along the coast between Punta Prima and Cabo Roig.
“Taxi boat” network dismantled
The discovery coincides with a major operation carried out by the National Police and the Guardia Civil, in collaboration with Europol and the French National Police. The joint action has dismantled a criminal organisation in Alicante allegedly dedicated to facilitating irregular immigration through the use of so-called “taxi boats”. These fast boats are used to transport migrants to the coasts of Alicante, Murcia and Almería.
The operation, dubbed Baron-Galon, has so far resulted in seven arrests: six in Alicante and Santa Pola, and one in Marseille, France. The detainees, all men between 25 and 40 years old and of Algerian and Libyan nationality, are accused of crimes against the rights of foreign citizens, membership in a criminal organisation, smuggling and property crimes, among others.
According to the investigation, the network was based mainly in the province of Alicante. It maintained an organised structure to facilitate both the logistics and the personnel necessary to irregularly introduce non-EU citizens, mainly Algerians, into Spanish territory.
Property searches in Alicante
During the operational phase of the investigation, officers carried out three house searches: two in the city of Alicante and one in Santa Pola. In these searches, officers seized documents, cash and several mobile phones allegedly linked to the criminal network.
The organisation’s primary method involved the use of “taxi boats”, which are semi-rigid inflatable boats equipped with powerful engines capable of making rapid journeys across the sea. Investigators have determined that some of these boats were stolen in Spain and France, while others were obtained using falsified documents or rental agreements.
