It's the only African country with a land border to the EU so there's a point. There was a major incident with almost 40 dead at one of these borders only months ago.
I also don't like the framing of migrants and drugs in the same sentence as both issues are ethically very different. But both are driven by organized crime groups and the migrants are victims too. The traffickers take them for all they're worth. It's a problem that needs to be fought.
I was talking about the enclaves yes. Why don't they count? They are regular targets for human trafficking and drug activity. Many people have died in trafficker-incited border incidents.
I know they can't readily travel to Spain from there but I guess the idea is that they apply for refugee status once they're in. And they are part of the EU.
They are physically separated from EU mainland, they are exclaves.
As said once you manage to get inside one of these extra-territories you are technically on Spain teritory, but you have NO access (without a boat) to Spain (or the EU).
As an example, if you manage (from Morocco) to enter one of these you cannot be chased by the Morocco Police (that will stop at the border) and you can - say - ask/apply for asylum, but if this is denied the Spanish Police will bring you back to the border and put you in the hands of the Morocco border police.
And it is not like any "mainland" border that you can escape anywhere, these territories are tiny and you have no ways to go other than sea or Morocco.
Same goes for drugs, congratulations, you managed to bring some hashish in Melilla, if you manage to sell it there, good, otherwise you won't be able (easily) to bring it to Spain.
Most of the "drug activity" is on the beaches of Spain, around La Linea, Campo de Gibraltar and Algeciras:
I know it's not so useful to be there but technically it is a land border between Africa and the EU. And clearly it still attracts a lot of organised crime. Which warrants this collaboration with Morocco, which was what the discussion started with. I only wanted to say that it makes sense for Spanish/EU authorities (who do control these exclaves) to collaborate with Moroccan police. Much more than any other country.
I don't really understand why Spain insists on keeping them. They're more trouble than they're worth IMO. Also, it's just a little bit hypocritical of Spain to want Gibraltar back from the UK but wanting to keep these areas in Morocco.
Personally I think both should be done, Ceuta/Melilla to Morocco and Gibraltar to Spain.
Wow. Sounds like someone is on an agenda.