Police stop powerful boat being stolen from a Costa Blanca marina which was going to ferry drugs and migrants between Africa and Spain

POLICE stopped a boat theft in El Campello with the craft destined to transport drugs and people between North Africa and Spain.

A sailor spotted two men at 1.30am on Sunday in the bottom floor of a restaurant terrace crouching by some bushes and running their eye over the moored boats at the Nautical Club.

The El Campello Policia Local were called and the eye witness told police that the men had climbed over the marina fence and got into a boat.

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The craft had combined 600 horse power dual engines, capable of doing a four hour run to Algeria and Morocco.

As a police cordon was set up, the two men- of North African nationalities. legged it in different directions but were caught and handed over to the Guardia Civil.

A third man who seemed to give orders on a phone and provided surveillance escaped the scene.

A high-end vehicle was also seized by the Guardia.

El Campello has suffered several robberies of high-powered vessels in recent months with authorities believing that criminals worried about being caught in Andalucia have transferred their activities to the Valencia and Murcia regions.

Last month a boat stolen in Denia that ferried migrants from Algeria to the Balearic Islands was intercepted south of Formentera with 28 people on board.

The vessel had only been taken a few days earlier with the thief travelling by ferry from Ibiza to  steal it.