A new study highlights the outsized role of foreigners in serious crimes in Spain, which has seen worrying growth in rapes, attempted murders, and other serious crimes in just the last five to six years. The CEU-CEFAS Demographic Observatory report, titled “Demography of Crime in Spain,” examines the evolution of crime across various demographic groups and geographical areas in the country, and the researchers are warning about “imported crime” due to mass immigration.
While confirming Spain’s status as one of the safest countries globally regarding severe crimes against persons, the study highlights several trends concerning the involvement of foreigners in criminal activities.
Murder and rape
Some of the key findings indicate that foreigners, who make up 31 percent of Spain’s prison population, commit per capita 500 percent more rapes and 414 percent more murders than Spanish citizens. The highest rates are seen among Arabs and Latinos, with many of them hailing from countries in South America known for their extremely high crime rates.
While the murder numbers are stable in Spain at 300 per year, there has been explosive growth in attempted murders. Between 2019 and 2023, a matter of four years, attempted murder cases nearly doubled, going from 836 to 1,507.
In just five years, penetrative rape cases also soared 143 percent, going from 2,2143 in 2019 to 5,206 in 2024.
As Remix News has reported on in the past, in many Spanish states, the crime statistics show massive overrepresentation of foreigners in serious crimes like sexual assault, including in the Basque region.
Illegal occupation
Spain is also dealing with a serious crisis involving illegal property occupation, with 170,000 cases recorded between 2010 and 2024. Of those arrested, 51.8 percent were foreigners, which is 610 percent more than Spaniards.
Robbery with violence
In cases of robbery with violence, foreigners are 440 percent more likely to commit such a crime. Many such cases have made headlines in the Spanish media.
Crime should be decreasing
The study heads indicate that Spain’s aging population should have led to a decrease in crime rates, but the influx of migrants, amounting to 3.8 million per decade, has led to an “imported crime” problem.
The report confirms a consistent pattern that violent crime is predominantly committed by young men. Specifically concerning nationality, the study indicates that foreigners have much higher crime rates than Spaniards, particularly for the most serious offenses against persons, such as homicide, rape, and robbery. This overrepresentation is noted to be especially pronounced among individuals of African and Latin American origin.
Data on the prison population supports this finding: in 2024, 31 percent of the prison population was foreign-born (excluding naturalized or second-generation immigrants). This proportion is more than double their share of the general population in the 20-69 age group, with North Africans and Latin Americans showing significant overrepresentation.
‘Imported Crime’ and Migration
The report introduces the concept of “imported crime,” which includes violent offenses, property crimes, jihadism, Latin gangs, and drug trafficking networks. The study specifically analyzes two types of crimes.
Jihadist terrorism has been linked with Muslim immigration, predominantly Moroccan.
At the same time, Latin Gangs are a growing menace. These are associated with first- and second-generation young Hispanic immigrants, with a strong presence observed in Madrid.
The study points out that the increase in the immigrant population—a net gain of 3.8 million people in the last decade—has influenced the rise in many serious crime categories.
The report concludes by calling for the regulation of migration flows in Spain and Europe, citing public safety as a compelling reason. It also advocates for increased police and judicial resources and harsher penalties for rising crimes to preserve Spain’s overall low crime rates.
