National Police agents have arrested 55 people in the Canary Islands in a macro-operation whose investigation has been carried out jointly between the National Police and the Labor and Social Security Inspectorate. The arrested simulated labor relations and falsified the necessary documents in order to prove employment, thus being able to fraudulently apply for residence in Spain due to exceptional circumstances (roots). Numerous foreign citizens in an irregular situation went to a well-known agency in the capital of Lanzarote, which also advertised itself as specialists in immigration matters.
In mid-2019, the National Police became aware that a very high number of foreigners, mainly of Moroccan nationality, were requesting and obtaining residence in Spain due to exceptional circumstances (roots), providing in their residence application, as an essential requirement for its granting, two half-day work contracts as domestic employees.
This circumstance, together with the fact that all of them were processed on the island of Lanzarote and through agents of the same agency in Arrecife, who also advertised themselves as specialists in immigration and roots, raised the suspicions of the investigators.
Joint work between the National Police and the Labor and Social Security Inspectorate
As a result of the first steps, police surveillance and visits were carried out by the Labor Inspectorate, and it was then possible to determine that the employment contracts formalized in the aforementioned agency were false, since none of the foreigners performed the work for which they had supposedly been hired.
Numerous foreign citizens in an irregular situation allegedly went to the agency, where they were advised on the matter and guided until they obtained work and residence in Spain.
Once the employment contracts were formalized, they were presented by the foreigners together with the residence application, and it was then that the agency processed the registration of the false worker with Social Security. Obviously, the same never went to his job or received any salary for it. Once the residence authorization was obtained, the agency deregistered the worker in order to avoid paying the related expenses (in most cases, after three months).
Results
The operation has culminated in the arrest of 55 people, including the three workers of the aforementioned agency, as alleged perpetrators of document forgery crimes, 197 visits by the Labor and Social Security Inspectorate, 54 infraction reports for simulation of labor relations and the annulment of 75 registration movements with Social Security.
Far from finished, the investigation continues with another 142 files and new arrests are not ruled out.