Travelers moving from the Spanish outposts of Ceuta and Melilla to the mainland were charged fares as if they were residents, with the perk of a substantial travel subsidy. This latest scheme, allegedly run by a criminal group, involved exploiting the subsidy system tied to transportation, in which Melilla residents received financial support for trips to the peninsula and back, often by ferry. A forged travel certificate was used to justify the reduced fares, while the broader aim was to pocket state support intended for genuine residents making the crossing.
To carry out the scheme, at least one counterfeit travel document was created and passed as legitimate. In some cases, residents or people living on the islands who routinely travel between Melilla and the mainland were involved, and the fraud relied on the illusion that these travelers were part of the resident population. The misuse of travel allowances for Melilla residents helped mask the illicit payments and created a misleading pattern of legitimate travel.
manager
In a statement released yesterday, authorities noted that a criminal organization operating in this space was dismantled by the National Police in a raid that led to nine arrests. The group included two employees who had taken administrative roles and were based in Melilla. The Interior Ministry later confirmed that additional suspects from Elche and Alcoy were among those detained. All involved allegedly used documents issued by local authorities to travel to the peninsula, exploiting the transportation allowance meant for Melilla residents.
The probe began after officers detected four travel certificates during the 2021 OPE inspection that, when checked digitally, proved to be counterfeit. The Secure Verification Codes tied to those certificates turned out to be forged, triggering further investigations.
residents
The counterfeit documents were used by Melilla residents and others traveling to the peninsula, prompting collaboration among police forces in Elche and Alcoy, which helped arrest several individuals connected to the scheme. The operation demonstrated the breadth of the fraud and how various parties were drawn into the network.
Investigators also uncovered that minors were among those using the falsified materials, and some travelers appeared alongside their own parents who used forged documents to obtain boat tickets at reduced rates. The scale of the deception prompted further scrutiny and a continuing inquiry centered on document falsification and related fraudulent activity.
Authorities issued arrest warrants for nine individuals, with a plan to bring one additional suspect into custody. The case remains focused on document forgery and fraud crimes tied to travel subsidies, and the police continue to pursue all angles of the operation to ensure accountability.