Spanish Police Bust Human Smuggling Network Targeting UK and Canada

Spanish Police Bust Human Smuggling Network Targeting UK and Canada
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Spanish police have dismantled a criminal network suspected of smuggling Yemeni migrants into Britain and Canada using counterfeit passports, Arab News reported. The operation concluded with the arrest of 11 individuals, including the alleged leader, in raids across northern Spain and Madrid.

According to a police statement, the network allegedly facilitated over 40 irregular migration attempts, charging up to $3,250 per person. The scheme involved migrants first obtaining refugee documents in Greece before traveling to European airports. There, members of the criminal organization would provide them with forged passports to enable their illicit travel to the UK and Canada.

The investigation was initiated in September following a tip from Canada’s border agency, which had identified multiple cases of Yemeni nationals attempting to enter the country from Spanish airports with falsified documents. The police investigation utilized flight bookings, money transfers, credit card payments, and airport surveillance footage to trace the network’s activities.

The probe was a collaborative effort, with assistance from authorities in Austria, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, and Britain. Europol also played a key role, helping to analyze data from mobile devices seized from the suspects.