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The Spanish National Police dismantles an international criminal organization that falsified residence cards

Agents of the Spanish National Police dismantle an international criminal organization that falsified residence cards. Six people have been arrested in Malaga and Murcia. It was a criminal network that provided illegal immigrants with forged residence cards, which would allow them to work. They were forced to pay 200 euros a month while they were working with the documentation that they had falsified. The network was divided into two factions, in Murcia and Malaga, to facilitate the distribution of functions and manage collections and obtaining falsified documents. Those involved obtained benefits of about 1800 euros per year for each person.

They paid 200 euros a month

The criminal organization, which was based in the cities of Murcia and Malaga, falsified residence cards outside of Spain, on the African continent. The members of the network sold this documentation to citizens of Nigerian nationality who were residing illegally in national territory. To do this, they had to pay an amount of money for the card and then another monthly sum to pay for its use.
The network was divided into two branches at a geographical level, one in Malaga, where payments were received from card applicants, and another in Murcia from where falsified documentation was provided. The ultimate consequence was the promotion of illegal immigration, by providing the permanence and the possibility of work in Spain for people who were in an irregular situation.

In order to acquire the documentation, the migrants had to make a first payment of between 500 and 600 euros, and then collect the cards in the city of Murcia, where the organization gave them the documentation and gave them accommodation in “patera” flats. The members of the network indicated to them the companies from where they could start their work activity without being detected.

In addition, they were forced to pay 200 euros per month by bank transfer for the entire time they were working with the documentation they had provided. The criminal organization obtained profits of approximately 1800 euros per year for each person.

Police investigation

During the police operation, six people have been arrested, four in Malaga and two in Murcia, for belonging to a criminal organization, document forgery and crimes against the rights of foreign citizens.

Two entries and searches have been made in the cities of Malaga and Murcia, in which more than 50 false documents from different countries have been seized, 400 euros in cash, nine mobile phones, a laptop, and various computer storage effects.