The Spanish National Police has dismantled an international criminal organization that allegedly traded illegally with Cuban citizens. 37 people were arrested during the operation, 21 of them imprisoned Spain, eight in Serbia and as many in Greecetogether with the work of the Serbian and Greek police and in cooperation with Interpol and Europol.
A statement the state police published by Spain this Monday declared that the victims They traveled from Cuba to Serbiaa country that does not require a visa at the border and later moved to Greece from where they finally flew to Spain.
The criminal network, which used a messaging application to advertise its services, He demanded around 9,000 euros to the people trafficked for the trip, remittances and false documents they provided for 300 euros and when they returned them to the organization once over the borderThey asked less, around 170 euros, since it could be used several times.
During the investigation 62 people were arrested in Europe, including 25 Cubans, using false papers and 37 belonged to the criminal organization. 18 properties, 33 private assets and 144 bank accounts were also frozen as a result of the action.
Of the organization’s 37 detainees 21 were in different Spanish provinces: Tenerife, Malaga, Madrid, Toledo, Ciudad Real, Alicante, Girona and Valencia. While there were eight inside Serbia and eight in Greece.
Likewise, the agents made 14 entries and searches, eight of them in Spain (Alicante, Valencia, Girona, Ciudad Real and Alicante), two in Serbia and four in Greece.
Almost 97,000 euros and more than 100,000 in various foreign currencies USA, Serbia and Russia; 450 identity documents from different countries; three vehicles; 16 mobile phones; three laptops as well as numerous bank cards, storage devices and various documents.
National Police agents estimate that the organization could transport more than 5,000 Cuban citizenswhich would mean a benefit of around 45 million euros. The investigation began after several Cuban citizens with false papers were identified try to cross the border to enter Europe.
This criminal network had alliances with other criminal organizations to help them cross. On most occasions they did Transfer on foot, 13 hours of walking without food, in the dark and in adverse conditions. Additionally, They cheated, stole and sexually abused women.
The first step was to relocate the migrants from Cuba to Serbia, with the ease that a visa was not required in this country until a month ago. Once there, part of the organization managed letters of invitation to give the appearance of legal entry and provided them with accommodation near the border with North Macedonia.
From the border, the movement to Greece began in large groups. They had several planned routes to reach Hellenic land: from North Macedonia to Greece and from there to Spain, or from Serbia to Bosnia and Herzegovina-Croatia-Slovenia-Italy-Spain.
To go to space Schengen via GreeceThe criminal organization provided the Cubans with false documents or authentic identity cards recorded in police databases as stolen or lost and bearing a close physical resemblance to the victim, allowing them to board a flight to Spain unnoticed.