Over the past five to six years, Spain has seen a brutal increase in the number of rapes, attempted murders and other serious crimes. A recent report examines trends in crime across different demographic groups and geographical areas of the country, with researchers warning of "imported crime" linked to mass immigration.

While the study confirms that Spain remains one of the safest countries in the world when it comes to serious crimes against persons, it also highlights a number of trends relating to the involvement of foreign nationals in criminal activity.

A recent study warns of crime imported through migration (Photo: AFP)

Several key findings from the report “Demography of Crime in Spain” by the CEU-CEFAS Demographic Observatory show that foreign nationals, who make up 31 per cent of Spain’s prison population,

commit 500 per cent more rapes and 414 per cent more murders than Spanish citizens. The report also confirms the persistent trend that violent crimes are overwhelmingly committed by young men.

The highest rates are seen among Arabs and Latinos, with many of them hailing from South American countries known for extremely high crime rates, writes the news outlet Modernity.

While the number of murders in Spain has remained stable at around 300 per year, the number of attempted murders has increased dramatically. Between 2019 and 2023, over a four-year period, attempted murder cases almost doubled, rising from 836 to 1,507. Within just five years, cases of penetrative rape also increased by 143 per cent, rising from 2,143 in 2019 to 5,206 in 2024.

As Remix News previously reported, crime statistics in several Spanish regions, including in the Basque region, show massive overrepresentation of foreign nationals in serious crimes such as sexual assault.

🇪🇸🚨 Rapists in Spain’s Catalonia are almost entirely foreigners

🔺91% of convicted rapists in Spain’s Catalonia region are migrants

🔺They make up only 17% of the region’s population

🔺Spain has seen crime rise each year in tandem with growing migration numbers pic.twitter.com/Omv9vJQHXf

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) November 7, 2024

Spain is also facing a severe crisis of illegal property occupation, with 170,000 cases recorded between 2010 and 2024. Of those arrested, 51.8 per cent were foreign nationals, 610 per cent more than Spaniards.

In cases of robbery with violence, foreign nationals are 440 per cent more likely to commit such crimes.

According to the authors of the recently published study, Spain’s ageing population should have led to a decline in crime rates, but the inflow of migrants, amounting to 3.8 million people per decade, has resulted in an „imported crime” problem.

„Imported Crime” and Migration

„Imported crime” includes violent offences, property crimes, jihadism, Latin gangs and drug-trafficking networks. The study specifically analyses two types of criminal activity.

Jihadist terrorism is linked to Muslim immigration, primarily of Moroccan origin. At the same time, Latin gangs pose a growing threat. These are associated with first- and second-generation young Spanish-speaking immigrants, with a strong presence in Madrid.

The report calls for the regulation of migration flows to Spain and Europe, citing public safety as a compelling reason. It urges increased police and judicial resources, as well as tougher penalties in order to preserve Spain’s generally low crime rate.