The National Police have arrested 60 people in an operation against an organisation that falsified documents to allow foreign citizens in irregular situations to work. The investigation, originating in Orihuela, is still ongoing.
The National Police have dismantled a criminal organisation operating from a call centre in Orihuela that was dedicated to falsifying official documentation to facilitate irregular access to the job market for foreign citizens. The operation, which began in late 2025, has resulted in 60 arrests, although the number could increase in the coming days.
An investigation that started with false asylum receipts
Everything began when the Local Brigade of Immigration and Borders in Orihuela detected that several Colombian citizens were presenting receipts for applications for international protection that were allegedly falsified to register with Social Security. The agents focused their inquiries on several companies in the agri-food sector in the Vega Baja and the Region of Murcia, where it was suspected that employees were working with altered documentation.
According to the Police, those involved modified authentic documents to change the date of the asylum application submission, thus simulating that they had already met the necessary time to obtain residence and work authorisation. In other cases, they replaced the photograph of the document holder with that of another person, allowing irregular citizens to work using the identity of compatriots who did have permission but had already returned to their country.
The call centre in Orihuela, centre of the forgeries
Investigators located the place where most of the forgeries were carried out: a call centre located in the centre of Orihuela, frequently visited by citizens of South American origin. After inspecting the establishment, the manager and one of his employees were arrested as the alleged responsible parties for producing the false documentation.
In a first phase, the police arrested 12 workers who were using these altered documents and the administrator of a company for their alleged involvement in the hiring. Subsequently, the investigation identified another company where numerous employees were also working with false papers; four workers and the administrator were arrested there, whom investigators consider the direct manipulator of the documents before formalising the contracts.
Business collaboration and ongoing operation
Investigations continued into other companies in the area, and thanks to the collaboration of the business community, the operation has so far resulted in a total of 60 arrests. The National Police are keeping the investigation open and do not rule out new arrests related to this document falsification network.
For the employers in Vega Baja and Murcia, this operation serves as a warning: hiring with false documentation can lead to criminal consequences. Authorities recommend always verifying the authenticity of employees' documents through official channels. The investigation is ongoing, and further developments are expected in the coming weeks.
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