Soon, soon, maybe there will be a boat for you. But you need the money, Abdul said. Then he reeled off a sliding scale of prices, ranging from a basic trip to going across and straight into a pre-arranged job in Spain. Adebiye looked hopeful. Some boats are piloted by the refugees themselves, others by Moroccans, and usually also carry drugs, mostly hashish but sometimes heroin and cocaine.
Drugs are intrinsic to the smuggling rings.
It is a dangerous business and it is run by ruthless men who have no illusions about what is more valuable to them drugs or people. They go out only occasionally into one square, which is surrounded by tall walls. They used to go to an outside terrace nearby, from where you can see Europe on the horizon. When they are picked up the refugees are taken to the Algerian border and dumped there in no man s land . But they always return.