Three women from Santa Coloma de Gramanet offered fake registration certificates to migrants for 500 euros

BarcelonaThe story begins at the Santa Coloma de Gramenet Town Hall, when a person arrives to complete a procedure and hands over a document certifying their registration as a resident of the town. However, the official quickly realizes that the document is fake. This was the start of a National Police investigation that has culminated in the arrest of three women accused of creating a network of fraudulent registrations.

The person who went to the town hall fits the profile of most of the identified victims: recently arrived migrants, usually from North Africa, seeking registration to facilitate family reunification in Catalonia. This is where the three women, residents of Santa Coloma de Gramenet, come in, offering registration at a local address in exchange for 500 euros. The total cost could reach up to 700 euros. After receiving the money, always in cash, the women gave the client a fake registration document stating they lived at an address that wasn't theirs or was even fabricated, according to ARA. Police sources say these women took advantage of the ignorance of newcomers. The victims, in turn, were aware they were being registered at an address that wasn't theirs. In fact, most of the victims are neither from nor live in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, but rather reside in other cities in the metropolitan area. The police investigation is ongoing and is searching for more victims of this network, although police sources admit the number could be high, as they are vulnerable people who have recently arrived. Investigation open

The women involved were caught caught in the actThe police, who were already investigating them, arrived just as they were delivering a fake registration certificate in the middle of Santa Coloma de Gramenet. They seized €1,000 in cash, an amount that had allegedly just been handed over as payment for the fraudulent procedure. The detainees are three women between the ages of 42 and 62. One of them has a criminal record. Furthermore, to give their activity an appearance of legality, the members of this network claimed to have contacts and links with staff at the Santa Coloma de Gramenet City Hall. Police sources clarify that no illegal activity on the part of the city council has been detected at any time. The three women are accused of document forgery and fraud, but the investigation is not yet over because the police are trying to determine if there were more people involved. They are also investigating whether there was someone responsible for recruiting the victims.