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Rabat – Authorities in the Moroccan city of Khenifra, located around 300 kilometers northeast of Marrakech, have arrested a man involved in the falsification of Schengen visas.
Security services launched an investigation into the case after a group of people came forward after having been defrauded by the owner of a travel agency in Khenifra. The agency owner had asked them to pay him large sums of money ranging between MAD 80,000 ($7,826) and MAD 120,000 ($11,739) in exchange for Schengen visas to work in a European country.
The initial investigation led to the arrest of the travel agency owner in mid-February. Police then managed on Tuesday to identify and arrest the main suspect of the case, who posed as a civilian pilot to carry out his criminal activity.
Police arrested the man, who has a criminal record in fraud and swindling, after receiving “accurate information” from the Directorate General of Territorial Surveillance (GDST), Morocco’s News Agency (MAP) reported.
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After carrying out a search operation, police seized dozens of passports belonging to other people, some of which were attached to fake visas. Authorities also confiscated cell phones, bank notes, and sums of money suspected to have come from the criminal activity.
The suspect, who is facing charges of visa forgery, fraud, and swindling, is currently in police custody amid ongoing investigations to shed further light on the case and identify all suspects involved.
The incident comes at a time when Moroccan seekers of Schengen visas have been facing visa restrictions, especially from France, despite Paris’ reassurance about lifting its visa ban for Moroccans.
This has pushed people to resort to third parties, such as travel agencies, with many becoming victims of visa scam networks.
