Police arrest 740 over fake companies

Spanish police have revealed today (Wednesday) that they have arrested some 740 people in a massive operation against fake businesses.

The businesses were created to obtain social security benefits along with residence or work permits for foreigners.

Police said in a statement that it is the biggest operation yet to tackle such scams, which cost the country an estimated 20.5 million Euros.

The probe targeted some 135 companies which were supposedly hotels, construction companies, courier services, gardening and cleaning services.

The statement said: “Among those arrests are 30 managers of the fake businesses, which, without undertaking any real activity, registered employees with Social Security so as to illicitly obtain benefits or to obtain residence or work permits for foreign citizens.”

Police revealed that the companies registered more than 8,400 new hires with Social Security, obtaining 2,100 benefit payments or unemployment subsidies.

The officers have found that a total 362 foreign citizens sought to obtain work or residence permits through the scam.