MADRID – The detainees are charged with the crimes of belonging to a criminal organisation. Also for allegedly falsifying of public documents, crimes against public health, and illegal possession of weapons.
The Guardia Civil arrested three people of Romanian, Spanish, and Moroccan nationalities, belonging to a criminal organisation. The organisation was dedicated to the falsifying public documents, crimes against public health and illegal possession of weapons.
Spanish passport
The investigation began in February last year when a suspicious shipment to Turkey was inspected. Inside, camouflaged in a double bottom, was an original and authentic Spanish passport with all its pages blank pages.
Turkey is a country that receives migrants from Syria, whose entry into Europe occurs through the so-called eastern Mediterranean route. Due to the favouring of irregular immigration, investigations were launched to identify the sender of said shipment.
As a result of the investigation, a group of people was detected who were very well organised. Each had a different function within the organisation itself, with the ability to get clients, prepare and distribute counterfeit documents (identity documents of various nationalities, residence cards, permits driver’s license, vehicle technical inspection cards, etc.), using specific material such as printers, plastic supports, heat-sealing machines, or watermarks.
Searched and seized
Consequently, at the beginning of January, three homes were searched in the province of Toledo and Madrid. As a result, police seized numerous items. These included a printer specific for the preparation of identity documents and forged driving licences, numerous plastic supports, with and without watermarks, for printing the documents, several heat-sealing machines to laminate them once they were made. Furthermore, they also seized already forged identification documents, passport-size photographs of various individuals to be implemented in the identification documents, various stamps. Additionally, they found recipes for medical drugs to counterfeit, narcotic substances (5 kg of hashish), glass, cocaine and tusi and a precision scale. Weapons were also in the properties and included a shotgun with an erased serial number, several air rifles (one stolen in 2021 from a Toledo home), 2 tasers and a machete, as well as different ammunition.
The operation was carried out by the Information Group of the Madrid Command, Citizen Security Unit and Cynological Service. This was in coordination with agents of the Information Headquarters (UCE3).
The detainees have been placed at the disposal of the Investigating Court number 2 of Alcobendas (Madrid).
Also read: The Guardia Civil stop the sale of fake driving licenses