Of the 48 detained, 15 are suspected of belonging to an organized crime group while 33 are believed to have been customers, a press release from the Spanish National Police said.
The forged documents - payrolls, registration and housing reports - are part of the government’s requirements to obtain residence permits with the purpose of family reunification.
The gang operated out of two cities approximately five hours apart. In Zaragoza, the alleged criminal group processed and forged documents and in Murcia, they recruited potential customers. The average cost per document processed was around 4,000 euros (US$4,413).
Officers seized during the operation multiple forged documents, two government stamps, four sets of computer equipment, three tablets, 13 cell phones, one printer, numerous storage devices, and two vehicles.
The criminal group is believed to have netted 200,000 euros ($221,000) in profits from their operations.
The charges for the arrested suspects include belonging to a criminal organization, false documentation, favoring irregular immigration, and four individuals were charged with electric power fraud.
The criminal organization was also involved in electricity fraud. According to authorities, they violated several electrical fluid systems in Zaragoza by impersonating an electrical company staff to access meter rooms and manipulate the electrical systems for nearly three weeks at a time.
Officers also seized wiring, ammeters, security seals, and electric company employee cards.
