The National Police has reported the dismantling of a criminal organization that provided fake documentation to underage migrants. The operation resulted in the arrest of seven individuals in Murcia. The minors would arrive on the island of Lanzarote in boats and then be placed in different centers for foreign minors in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. After escaping from these centers, they would contact Moroccan citizens who offered to help them reach the Spanish mainland. The criminals would take back the fake documents from the minors after they were no longer needed, leaving them vulnerable and worsening their situation.
The criminal network was made up of Moroccan citizens who took advantage of the vulnerable situation of the minors to profit. Family members of the minors would pay the organization between 1,000 and 2,000 euros per person. Once in Lanzarote and then transferred to centers in Gran Canaria, the minors would escape from the facilities and contact individuals from the criminal organization to travel to the mainland. Family members of the criminals ran several travel agencies and call centers used to provide plane tickets. The organization members made payments and reservations for these flights. Upon arrival at their destination on the mainland, the detainees would take away the fake documentation from the minors, leaving them out on their own.
As a result, many minors would reappear before police authorities to gain access to the centers for minors once again due to their vulnerable situation. The police pressure forced the network members to change their routes to access the mainland. The Police statement reveals that the network even used the air route from Morocco to Italy or France through the Balkans, and then transported the minors by truck to Spain. The operation was activated due to a high number of unaccompanied foreign minors from Morocco arriving in various provinces of the mainland, especially in Málaga and Madrid but also in Valencia and Barcelona, presenting themselves without documentation as minors.
In addition to the seven arrests, three raids were carried out in Murcia, and 5,500 euros in cash, a computer, mobile devices, Moroccan passports, and other related documents were seized. Law enforcement authorities have highlighted the importance of the “Athens Point,” which acts as a call center for quick consultations regarding documents with signs of forgery or questionable authenticity. The impact of these criminal activities is felt most strongly in the immediate vicinity, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and enforcement efforts.
