Immigration fraud and exploitation investigations in Spain

Authorities in Granada, Spain, are investigating various schemes used to illicitly obtain residency permits and social benefits.

In ‘Operación Poniente’, police detained three individuals in Huétor Tájar following an investigation into a sham marriage. The case involved a Bolivian man who married a Spanish woman of Bolivian origin while maintaining a separate relationship with another Bolivian woman. Investigators identified irregularities such as the absence of family at the wedding and a lawyer representing both parties in immigration processes. Police have requested the annulment of the man’s residency and work permits.

Separately, the National Police are investigating a pattern involving the abandonment of minors from North Africa. Since the beginning of 2026, 19 cases have been identified in the province where families reportedly enter Spain on tourist visas and leave children behind to claim residency authorizations and access to social services. Investigators noted that many of these minors appear to come from affluent backgrounds, often wearing brand-name clothing. Eight individuals have been arrested in connection with crimes including child abandonment and the favoring of illegal immigration.

In Ceuta, a large-scale operation in the El Príncipe neighborhood uncovered 74 irregular migrants, including 10 unaccompanied minors, living in overcrowded and precarious conditions. Police arrested a property owner suspected of being a key figure in a criminal organization involved in facilitating irregular immigration, labor exploitation, and physical abuse. Reports indicate some minors may have suffered injuries, including dog bites, during their time at the property.