The Spanish authorities have announced that in an operation carried out in Madrid and Las Palmas, a total of nine individuals have been arrested for being involved in facilitating the fraudulent acquisition of Schengen visas for nationals of Nepal.
As the authorities have revealed, the now-arrested individuals who are part of a criminal network helped more than 300 Nepalis obtain fake Schengen visas and enter Spain and the Schengen Area irregularly.
The criminal network assisted migrants in obtaining visas in exchange for €15,000, and it has been revealed that most of them accessed the Schengen territory from India.
The dismantled cell, after paying 15,000 euros, fraudulently made it easier for migrants to obtain the visa with which they could access Schengen territory from India, with Spain being the final destination for most of them.
The police operation in collaboration with Europol originated from a successful 2022 crackdown on an Indian-focused trafficking network. Subsequent investigations led authorities to uncover a Madrid-based criminal cell that was connected to a larger international network, with branches in several countries, such as in India, Nepal, Lithuania, and Poland.
According to the Spanish authorities, the trafficking route was initiated in Nepal, the country of origin of migrants. From there, the criminal network manipulated the system by submitting fake documents in India, where Schengen countries’ embassies and consulates for Nepal are located.
False offers of work and studies from Nepalese and European companies formed the basis for obtaining long-term visas, allowing stays in the Schengen Area for more than 90 days.
After obtaining visas, migrants entered the Schengen Area through Poland and Malta, and then they reached their final destination – Spain. Upon their arrival in Spain, the criminal network provided them with work in Indian restaurants, meaning that they were staying in Spain with documents obtained irregularly.
In addition to the above-mentioned, the police found that the network also helped Nepalese migrants pass Spanish nationality exams.
Investigators have been able to confirm the existence of a fragment of the network that was specifically dedicated to facilitating Spanish nationality exams for Nepalese migrants in exchange for a consideration amounting to 5,000 euros.
A specific segment of the criminal network provided exam questions or falsified test completion, permitting migrants to acquire certificates that are necessary for the Spanish nationality acquisition process.
This operation concluded with a search of two homes in Madrid, resulting in the seizure of €7,955 in cash, various electronic devices, computers, and other relevant documents.
