SEF detains European citizen for committing the crime of aid to illegal immigration

The Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) arrested a European citizen in Lisbon yesterday for evidence of the practice of the crime of aid to illegal immigration, when trying to introduce into Ireland nine citizens from the Middle East with falsified European travel documents.

The facilitator’s detention took place outside a hotel in Lisbon, and nine foreign citizens were arrested at the same time, when embarking for Ireland, for the crime of using a forged document.

According to the risk analysis, usually carried out by SEF’s specialized teams and considering the way of acting already known to the authorities, the whole situation was closely monitored by elements of the Lisbon Border Directorate, resulting in the detection and identification of citizens foreigners at the boarding gate.  

This illegal activity may be related to an organized international criminal network operating in Europe, since the modus operandi is referenced and has been shared between this border authority and its European counterparts and Interpol.