African boy found inside car dashboard after Moroccan tried smuggling him into Spain

A MOROCCAN man has been arrested after trying and failing to smuggle a 12-year-old African boy into Spain. 

Officers discovered the youngster – believed to be from Guinea in West Africa – after routine checks on the border between Morocco and Spain’s north African enclave of Melilla.

An officer said the schoolboy had been stuffed into the tiny space between the engine and the passenger seat of the BMW X5.

A spokesman for the Guardia Civil said: “The operation began when officers stopped a BMW X5 with a Moroccan numberplate so they could inspect the driver’s vehicle.

“He was then asked to open his boot but nothing unusual was found.

“Suspicion was aroused when officers passed a heartbeat sensor over the car.”

The dashboard was ripped apart and the boy who was suffering from numbness of limbs due to the awkward position he was forced to adopt also had breathing difficulties. He was given immediate medical attention.

The 65-year-old driver of the Moroccan-plated vehicle was arrested and is expected to be in custody before appearing to a judge in the next 12 hours.