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Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a network that processed residence permits and income from false victims of gender violence

As a result of the operation, 22 people have been arrested and another 23 have been investigated

Fraudulent couples were made up of a man and a woman in an irregular administrative situation

Indications have been obtained that indicate the constitution by the investigated network of a total of 22 couples investigated as fraudulent

The women who captured paid the amount of 4,500 euros, of which between 1,500 and 2,000 euros went to the male who simulated the crime

The Civil Guard within the framework of the operation “SIN FLOW”, has detained in the towns of Vícar, Roquetas de Mar, El Ejido and Adra, 22 people as alleged perpetrators of the continuing crimes of false reporting and simulation of crime and crime against the rights of foreign citizens, and investigated 23 others. In addition, 1 search has been made at the home of one of the detainees located in the town of Vícar, where abundant documentation has been intervened and is being analyzed by researchers. The Civil Guard began the investigation in 2019, when the agents of the Almería Command detected a significant increase in complaints of gender violence in the western area of ​​Almería since the last quarter of 2018, which presented elements and common patterns, and on suspicion that they were false facts. 

Common pattern detected

 The numerous cases that made up the cited increase in complaints had the following common pattern: 

1.- Victim with irregular administrative situation in Spain.  

2.- Spanish author, the majority with a police record for crimes against property and denouncements for possession and consumption of drugs.  

3.- The mutual ignorance between the sentimental couple. The couple only knew the name and phone number of the other person, not knowing their address, occupation, workplace, tastes, hobbies, family or any other information. 

4.- Author and victim state that they are boyfriends, not marriage, without cohabitation, with a relationship lasting between four and six months. 

5.- Regarding the authors, a significant number who did not reside or have any connection with the province of Almería, many of them coming from the town of Hellín (Albacete). 

6.- A significant number of the victims resided in the town of Las Norias. 

Simulation of assaults on public roads

 The cases that met the pattern detected, a similarity was observed between them in the way in which the aggression was committed: 

1.- It takes place in a public place, with witnesses, during crowded hours, normally during the afternoon, either in the middle of a public thoroughfare or inside a hotel establishment. 

2.- The location of the lesions is always similar, minor injuries, small bruises and scratches generally on both arms. 

3.- Upon the arrival of the Civil Guard, the author always acknowledges the aggression, he does so expressly, without hesitation, generally it is he who draws the attention of the Agents, informing that he has hit his partner.  

The dismantled network had a solid structure in the west of Almeria, a place where they captured the women from whom the entire economic amount was borne, with which all expenses and payments were covered, and where the men were transferred for the sole purpose of making the simulations, these being generally from outside the province, many of them from the town of Hellín (Albacete). The network used the irregular administrative situation of these women in Spain to get closer to them. 

They were offered in exchange for 4,500 euros, obtaining a legal residence permit in Spain for exceptional circumstances, as well as access to the financial aid established for these victims. To men, all of them with multiple police records and drug users, the possibility of obtaining a sum of money of between 1500 and 2000 euros for lending themselves to it and facilitating their arrest.