17 arrested in connection with marriages of convenience

The National Police in Madrid have dismantled an organisation involved in arranging marriages of convenience, advising illegal immigrants how to get visas and work permits, forging all sorts of licences and certificates and even acting as witnesses for arranged marriages.

The organisation was based in Madrid but operated throughout the country. Seventeen people have so far been arrested and eleven homes were raided in Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, San Sebastian, Jerez de la Frontera and several locations in the Community of Madrid.

Policed seized numerous fake documents and paraphernalia for forging documents including headed paper and official seals.

The investigation began back in January when a Spanish citizen, originally from Equatorial Guinea, had exercised the right to family reunification on no less than fifteen occasions, his relatives applying for visas on the basis of being the family of a EU citizen.

However, closer scrutiny revealed many of the documents to be forgeries.

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