A court in Melilla sentenced a member of the Spanish Civil Guard to seven months in prison for stealing money from a Moroccan citizen during a border check in Beni Ansar, according to Spanish news agency Europa Press. The incident occurred on May 27, 2022, around 10:30 a.m., when the accused took advantage of his position as a Civil Guard member to steal a small bag placed under the driver's seat of the victim's car. The victim, a 38-year-old Moroccan citizen, was being inspected by other officers at the time. According to the Spanish newspaper, the accused opened the bag, took 450 euros, and then returned it to its original location as if nothing had happened. After the inspection, the Moroccan citizen proceeded to the ferry terminal to travel to the peninsula. However, upon arriving at the port in Melilla, he discovered that his money was missing when he attempted to buy a ferry ticket. The complainant immediately returned to the border checkpoint to inquire about his money, where the guards assured him they would look for it and requested his phone number. Later, the accused approached the victim and handed him 350 euros, claiming this was the only amount he could find—a justification that did not convince the victim. After receiving a call from the Civil Guard inviting him to file a complaint, the man decided to proceed with an official report. The ruling also noted that the Moroccan citizen did not have the necessary customs documents for the goods he was transporting. He was given the option to either return the goods to Morocco or abandon them for destruction. He chose to abandon part of them, and an official abandonment document was issued. However, when he filed a complaint, it was agreed that the confiscated goods would be returned to him, allowing him to regularize his customs status. The verdict was upheld by the Court of Appeals, which rejected the defense's appeals. The defendant was sentenced to seven months in prison, deprived of the right to vote during his sentence, fined 100 euros, and ordered to pay the costs of the trial.
