Five arrested in operation against illegal immigration network in centre of country
The Judicial Police arrested five people accused of assisting foreigners to enter and remain in Portugal illegally, through forged documents and bribery of public officials.
Five arrested in operation against illegal immigration network in centre of country
Forces of the Judicial Police, commanded by the Central Regional Directorate, launched an operation that covered several locations: Cantanhede, Pombal, Alcobaça and Porto. The objective was to dismantle a criminal organisation that facilitated the clandestine entry of foreigners into Portuguese territory.
As part of the investigation, five individuals were placed under arrest. Among them is a service manager from the Central region, suspected of having regularised the situation of thousands of immigrants without proper legal framework.
As reported by Notícias de Coimbra, the crimes in question include aiding illegal immigration, active and passive corruption, money laundering and document forgery. The scheme would have allowed citizens of other countries to obtain residency authorisation through fraudulent means.
The designation "Finance Mafia" arose from the alleged participation of tax authority officers in the scheme. The profits obtained are believed to have subsequently been concealed through complex financial operations.
The arrested individuals will be heard by the judicial authorities to decide on any coercive measures.
Source: Google News PT