Episode Details

Spain Today has investigated the hidden financial networks of organised crime. Our team tracked hawala, an ancient, informal money transfer system that bypasses conventional banking to move billions of euros annually across borders. While millions of people rely on hawala to send vital, low-cost remittances to families in crisis zones—such as Gaza, where banks are non-existent—it has become a critical "crime-as-a-service" backbone for money laundering, tax evasion, and terrorism. Key cases include a massive European network named "The Merchants of Great Europe," which traded hundreds of millions of euros, and police operations against networks funding Daesh or using Chinese cryptocurrency exchanges to launder human-smuggling profits. Large clearing hubs located outside the EU, like Turkey and the UAE, present a major challenge to European law enforcement.The ongoing migration crisis in Ceuta has triggered severe social and economic fallout. One month after a mass entry of migrants, disinformation and hate speech have surged on social media. A study revealed that 40% of analysed social media posts sought to dehumanise migrants, heavily fueled by viral, out-of-context videos from Turkey and France falsely presented as "invasions" or riots in Ceuta. This digital hostility has translated into physical violence on the ground; on 27 August, protestors destroyed a migrant camp on Benítez beach, blocked humanitarian aid deliveries, and harassed working journalists.Economically, Ceuta's business community is in a critical state. The local Chamber of Commerce has reported over €33 million in direct losses, a 19% increase from initial estimates. Retail sales dropped by an average of 53%, and hospitality revenues plummeted by 50.7%. Local festivals, such as the Ceuta Fair, were cancelled due to security concerns, keeping residents at home. On the beaches, some of the remaining 5,000 migrants have set up informal street markets to sell basic goods and offer services like barbering to survive.Meanwhile, Spain prepares for the 2026-2027 school term. The return to classrooms begins in early September, led by early childhood education in Andalusia on 3 September and primary pupils in Navarre on 4 September. Most other regions, including Madrid, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community, will stagger their restarts between 7 and 10 September.