13 detained in operation of the PJ against illegal immigration

The Judicial Police (PJ) reported Wednesday that it detached 13 people and dismantled a group that was dedicated to « the repeated practice of illegal immigration assistance crimes, illegal immigration assistance, corruption, capital bleaching and document forgery. »

The operation was in Coimbra, where “13 people, seven men and six women were detained, including seven businessmen, a lawyer and an employee of the Directorate-General for Consular Affairs and Portuguese Communities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”.

In a statement, the PJ also reveals that “40 home searches were held in Coimbra, Espinho, Carregal do Sal, Amadora, Odivelas, Loures and Lisbon,” adds the Judicial Police in the same statement.

The operation began in September 2023 period in which it investigated this group that was dedicated to “the irregular and massive legalization of foreign citizens in Portugal, obtaining financial proceeds from the age of millions of euros”.

Many of the immigrants legalized by this group, although recorded as working and residing in Portugal, are in other European countries.

According to the note, which states that it was a “complex investigation”, “immigrants, as ‘customers’ who were available to pay high amounts to achieve legalization in the national territory, were raised by the group through complex schemes in countries of origin”.

To immigrants, there was the “promise to provide a set of services, such as obtaining work contracts, Tax Identification Number (NIF), Social Security Identification Number (NISS), NHS (National Health Service), translation and certification of criminal records, bank accounts, residence certificates, among others.”

The PJ states that it seized « documents used in processes of irregular legalization of foreigners, computer equipment, 11 automotive vehicles, some of which are high -displacement, approximately one million euros, in cash, two ivory elephant prisoners with about 50 kg, several articles acquired with the earnings of the crime. »

“Articles used in document falsification were also seized, including a white seal found and seized in a company where they would“ be valid ”thousands of criminal registration certificates of foreign citizens.”

Police also arranged “six properties, two rustic buildings and four urban, of these a villa and three apartments. 35 bank accounts were also frozen, two Bethan game company financial products and a binance crypto-active account.”