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Date Published: 28/02/2023
ARCHIVED - 47 criminals arrested across Spain for falsifying residency papers for UK citizens
The Malaga gang charged Brits 1,600 euros to fake documents to allow them to live Spain
The National Police in Spain have uncovered yet another scam involving securing residency documents and work permits for third country citizens, this time with the focus on British nationals post-Brexit.
In all, 47 arrests have been made, with three of the ringleaders reportedly running a law practice in Marbella while two others operated from a law firm in the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta.
According to police reports, the majority of the suspects were nabbed in Marbella and stand accused of “manipulating” residency documents for British citizens, belonging to a criminal organisation, encouraging illegal migration and forging documents.
Most worryingly, at least three of the individuals the fake Spanish papers had been obtained for were wanted for serious crimes abroad and were presumably fleeing to Spain to avoid prosecution.
The arrests appear to make up two separate criminal networks who were operating independently but essentially the same kind of service.
The investigation began in April 2021 when staff working at Malaga’s foreign immigration office noticed that some of the applications they received appeared to contain documents that had been tampered with. The vast majority belonged to UK nationals and of the 200 analysed, more than half were found to be fakes.
The forged documents included rental agreements, job contracts and bank statements that served to secure residency for the Britons when the Brexit rules came into force.
National Police investigating the crimes report that the criminals charged around 1,600 euros for the fake documents.
As part of the Withdrawal Agreement, Britons who were already resident in Spain before the UK exited the European Union could remain. According to Spanish authorities, those arrested were trying to secure their right to Spanish residency by using false documents to state their claim.
Just last week, the National Police arrested six members of a criminal organisation in Murcia city and Malaga who allegedly sold false residence permits to irregular African immigrants that allowed them to live and work in Spain.
Image: Policia Nacional
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