National Police agents, assigned to the Local Immigration and Borders Brigade of Arrecife, have arrested a lawyer accused of facilitating illegal immigration through the use of false lease agreements.
The investigation, developed within the framework of immigration processes, began after the detection of multiple inconsistencies in the documentation presented to the Immigration Office.
Between January and April 2025, the agents reviewed more than thirty files related to family reunification requests, noting the alleged systematic falsification of housing contracts.
These documents were used to prove the existence of housing that, in reality, did not exist. According to investigators, the detainee acted as the legal representative of the applicants, taking advantage of her professional status to give the files an appearance of legality and facilitate the irregular obtainment of residency permits.
The investigators emphasize the particular gravity of the events, given that the implicated party allegedly abused the trust inherent in her work as a lawyer, using her position to circumvent the controls established in matters of immigration.
With this practice, the suspect intended to evade the legal control mechanisms and facilitate fraudulent use of the administrative channels intended for regular immigration. Once the police procedures were completed, the detainee was placed at the disposal of the competent Judicial Authority.
The National Police want to convey to the public that these types of frauds do not go unpunished and that they maintain active surveillance to ensure that immigration procedures are carried out in full compliance with the law, protecting the system and preventing it from being used through illicit practices.