Civil Guard warns of soaring crime and staffing crisis in Ceuta

The Asociación Unificada de Guardias Civiles reports a sharp increase in criminal activity in Ceuta, with a 60% rise in offences during August-September versus the prior year and 37 ongoing sexual-assault investigations. Emergency services have seen a steep climb in calls, and the Superior Prosecutor’s Office has labeled the conditions untenable. Guard personnel have been working continuously for more than two months, often without vacations, while the force already faced a deficit of over a hundred positions before the recent crisis.

Temporary reinforcements are expected to leave after their assignments end, and many officers also reside in Ceuta, extending their workload beyond shifts. The AUGC is urging Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska to provide guaranteed rest periods, advance allowances, better equipment, permanent staffing increases, and faster processing of repatriations and legal admissions.