RABAT, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Altogether 6 suspects have been arrested over involvement in organizing illegal immigration operations in the northern city of Nador, the Moroccan police said in a statement on Saturday.

According to the statement, the suspects are five Moroccans and one Senegalese national.

Initial investigations led to the arrest of 19 illegal immigrants from sub-Saharan African nations, including seven women, the statement said.

And five boats, three cars, 104 passports from various nationalities, money transfer receipts and cash were seized during the police raids.

In recent months, Morocco has been witnessing a significant hike in illegal immigration attempts.

In one week, the Moroccan navy arrested more than 1,200 migrants off the country's northern coasts.

The Moroccan government said its security services have thwarted at least 54,000 attempts to smuggle illegal immigrants into Europe in the first eight months of 2018, compared with 39,000 attempts a year earlier.