Spanish Police Dismantle International Network Smuggling Yemenis to UK and Canada Using Fake Passports
The Spanish police announced the dismantling of an international network involved in smuggling migrants, mostly from Yemen, to the UK and Canada using forged passports.
According to an official statement, the network’s modus operandi involved first granting migrants refugee status in Greece, then transferring them to European airports where they received fake travel documents allowing them to continue to their final destinations.
Investigations revealed that the network carried out over 40 smuggling operations, charging migrants fees of up to 3,000 euros each. Canadian authorities had previously alerted their Spanish counterparts about increasing attempts by Yemenis to enter via Spanish airports using forged documents.
Raids conducted in Madrid and northern Spain led to the arrest of 11 suspects, including the alleged leader of the network. The investigation, which started last September, relied on comprehensive analyses of flight bookings, financial transfers, credit card usage, and thorough reviews of security camera footage and electronic travel authorizations.
Security agencies from Austria, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, and the UK participated in the investigation, while Europol analyzed data extracted from the suspects' phones.
This operation comes amid growing European warnings about transnational smuggling networks exploiting the plight of refugees and migrants for massive illegal financial gains.
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