MADRID, July 31. /TASS/. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has blamed the current migration influx in the Spanish exclave city of Ceuta on the northern coast of Africa on the activities on mafia groups thriving on human trafficking.

According to the Spanish prime minister, "mafia groups involved in human trafficking" have exploited a Supreme Court ruling related to the deportation of illegal migrants. These criminals "are deceiving many young people," he said, as cited on the government’s website.

According to the RTVE broadcaster, the current migration crisis might have been triggered by a Supreme Court ruling saying that the law on foreigners cannot be applied to immediately deport migrants detained at sea. It means that these people are to undergo a standard administrative procedure. This court ruling has been widely highlighted on Moroccan social networks.

According to Spanish media, thousands of migrants managed to reach Ceuta by swimming or walking around the breakwater separating the city from Morocco, Spanish media reported. According to Ceuta’s mayor-president, Juan Jesus Vivas, the city has been flooded by approximately 60,000 migrants, or up to 70% of its population. At least 34 people have reportedly died while trying to reach Ceuta. Amid the migration crisis, the Spanish authorities have deployed troops to help ensure security in the city. The prime minister said that the migtant influx constitutes a violation of the country’s territorial integrity.