Seventy-seven people have been arrested in Spain for their involvement in a large-scale operation that provided fake Schengen visas and helped Indian migrants enter the European Union illegally. The Spanish National Police announced the arrests following an extensive investigation led by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.
The criminal network was found to be targeting Indian nationals, arranging their journey through Bahrain and Egypt before reaching Libya. From Libya, the migrants made a perilous 28-hour sea voyage across the Mediterranean to Lampedusa, Italy, in overcrowded boats. These boats, which were dangerously overcrowded with more than 130 people, lacked basic necessities such as food and water, highlighting the severe conditions faced by those attempting to reach Europe.
The operation, which began in 2022, uncovered a sophisticated criminal organization with ties in multiple countries. This network, based mainly in Spain’s major cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and Bilbao, as well as Italy, had connections in Libya, Bolivia, and Mexico. The organization was involved in the illegal trafficking of Indian immigrants, providing them with fake visas for border crossings and arranging accommodation in various transit cities.
Upon arrival in Italy, the migrants were housed in Turin before being flown to Zaragoza or Barcelona. The criminal group used fake passports or documents of individuals who resembled the migrants to help them bypass border controls. In Spain, travel agencies affiliated with the organization managed the migrants’ onward journeys, helping them travel to different cities in Mexico. There, they were picked up by smugglers, known as “coyotes,” who then facilitated their illegal entry into the United States.
In addition to the Indian-focused network, another branch of the organization targeted Bolivian migrants. This faction had recruiters in Bolivia and used travel agencies in Spain to arrange the migrants’ passage through Turkey or Egypt. Once in Spain, the migrants were provided with Spanish passports of naturalized Bolivians to help them evade border controls. Each illegal trip cost between €8,000 and €10,000.
The investigation led to ten searches in Catalonia, where authorities seized over €500,000 in cash, 11 passports, and other crucial documents. The arrests and discoveries shed light on the extensive operations of these smuggling networks and their impact on illegal immigration and border security.