Investigation into sulfuric acid and aluminum purchases in Ceuta

A judge examines purchases of sulfuric acid and aluminum in Ceuta

According to police sources cited by a media outlet, a Ceuta supermarket reported an unusual purchase: bottles of sulfuric acid and rolls of aluminum foil bought by a large group of migrants, some accompanied by members of the NGO No Name Kitchen. The notification reached officers, who peine an inquiry. From there, the matter moved from the supermarket checkout to a judge seeking to answer an uncomfortable question: was these purchases for domestic use or something worse?

What is being investigated and what has been proven?

A court inquiry into whether this material could have been intended for manufacturing homemade explosives. It is important to maintain the verb 'inquiry.' There is no firm conviction or resolution proving this use. The products in question are available for purchase and have common domestic applications; what the investigators are analyzing is the purchasing pattern, volume, and who accompanied the buyers. Some accounts suggest that officers have identified several individuals, although there is no record of arrests.

No Name Kitchen and the political tension

The NGO No Name Kitchen is at the center of the accusations. According to published information, the police reportedly identified it as the entity that distributed incendiary material among migrants arriving in the city, and Vox has announced legal action against it. These allegations currently lack a judicial resolution, and part of the analysis suggests caution regarding suspicions that are not yet proven. In parallel, other reports point to entities setting up posts on Trampolín beach to distribute mobile phones and chargers.

The reception business: 32 million euros and €60 certificates

Where the matter becomes purely economic is in the entities' accounting. According to cited information and without presented evidence, Save the Children would receive 32 million euros in public funds, and it is alleged that they instruct adult migrants on how to bypass age verification; there has also been reports of a regularization fraud involving €60 certificates processed through NGOs. One phrase that has circulated widely, signed by Rubén Pulido, summarizes this criticism: “They monetize every immigrant, every reception spot, every transfer.” Other figures cited in this matter, without independent confirmation: the mobile Wi-Fi unit set up for CETI and Trampolín beach would cost around €10,000 per month, and the 63 million euros allocated to the Ministry of Youth and Childhood for Ceuta would triple that designated for the National Police and Guardia Civil.

Who knew what and when

The timeline also fuels the controversy. One published report claims, without providing evidence, that State Secretary Pilar Cancela and the Red Cross knew what was going to happen in Ceuta 48 hours before it occurred, and that the Ministry of the Interior allocated 1.5 million euros to the Red Cross and 21,000 euros to the Sarracinic Commission one day later. These are details that the opposition has used as political ammunition and which lack official confirmation.

With the case open and no conclusions reached, one figure stands out in the debate: amidst discussions about sulfuric acid and aluminum purchases at a supermarket, the public funding for reception in Ceuta would multiply that designated for those who must monitor such purchases.