Immigrant documents were illegally validated by a Foreign Ministry employee, who was a key piece in the network.
The Judicial Police (PJ) dismantled an international illegal immigration network operating in Portugal since 2022, with cells in Lisbon and Coimbra. At the center of the scheme was an employee of the Directorate-General for Consular Affairs and Portuguese Communities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE), which illegally validava documents for immigrant legalization processes through the use of an official “white seal”.
According to the woman, the woman, who was service to the public in Lisbon, was identified as a Key piece of the criminal groupnow dismantled in the so -called “Operation Gamperia”.
According to the PJ, the white seal that used it conferred on the appearance of legitimacy to false documents related to nationality requests, residence permit and visas. “She ceased functions yesterday“Confirmed Avelino Lima, director of the board of the center of PJ, who considered the employee a true” mole “within MNE.
The operation, which began in September 2023, revealed a sophisticated immigrant giving structure of South America and southern Asia, through profiles on social networks created in their home countries. In exchange for high amounts, migrants received transportation to Portugal, accommodation and a panoply of legal documents, such as employment contracts, NIF, NISS, NHS user number, criminal registration certificates, among others.
Although many of these documents are issued in Portugal, many of the immigrants not even remained in the countrychoosing to go to other destinations in Europe. According to the PJ, “there were thousands immigrants covered by this scheme,” which resulted in profits of several million euros.
During the searches, they were seized one million euros In cash, 13 detainees (seven Portuguese and six foreigners), a falsely used white seal, thousands of documents, computer equipment, 11 vehicles – some high -displacement – and two ivory elephant prey with about 50 pounds. Six properties were also arrested and 35 bank accounts frozen, including cryptocurrency assets and investments linked to game platforms such as Betano.
