The eight suspects utilized the fake passports to allow unauthorized immigration to the bloc, as the Moroccan police confirmed. EU Helpers states that the individuals are also accused of human trafficking.
The suspects were detained concurrently in three different cities, Oujda, Nador, and Berkane, according to Morocco World News, after the authorities suspected that they had forged official documents, bank documents, and other documents required to be submitted when applying for a Schengen visa.
The police confiscated fake documents as well as the tools used to make them during the operations in the three locations indicated above, including stamps, a computer, and other technological devices.
After the operation, the police announced that the suspects would be held in jail for additional investigation so that they could gather more information about this particular case and identify potential members of the criminal organization.
It is anticipated that the authorities will start looking for additional suspects as soon as they learn more information about the case, just in case some of them have still not been apprehended.
The Moroccan authorities have previously detained individuals on the grounds that they may have sold or faked Schengen visas in exchange for money.
A Tangier City Council member was detained by Moroccan police earlier in September for allegedly participating in the sale of Schengen permits.
At that time, the authorities discovered that the city councilman had been selling fraudulently obtained visas from Tangier's Spanish Consulate General. The council member was not only detained but also fined €91.
The police claimed that in addition to the council member who was detained, another scheme participant was also detained. Ten months in prison were imposed on the second party in this instance.
A Moroccan national who fell victim to the scam said they paid the councilman a total of €15,000 to apply for a Schengen visa on their behalf.
Similar incidents were reported by several additional Moroccans, who said the two parties involved had promised them job and a resident permit in Spain. Instead, they were given a Schengen visa, allowing them to remain for up to 90 days in both Spain and the other member countries.
The Moroccan authorities did not disclose how many visas they had given or whether individuals who obtained visas unlawfully were outside of the country, despite the fact that the two people had been punished.