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Date Published: 25/03/2022

ARCHIVED - Russian mother and daughter arrested in Alicante, Spain for exploiting Ukrainian refugees

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

The two women, official translators in Alicante, allegedly defrauded fleeing Ukrainians into paying for Spanish residency papers

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Russian mother and daughter arrested in Alicante, Spain for exploiting Ukrainian refugees

A Russian mother and daughter have been arrested in Alicante accused of swindling Ukrainian refugees out of thousands of euros by claiming they could fast track temporary residency procedures.

The pair allegedly targeted their victims in queues at police stations offering to speed up residency applications in exchange for money. Desperate Ukrainians fleeing their war-torn home were conned out of around 5,000 euros, according to police sources.

Despicably, the women allegedly told their victims that they worked for the police and threatened that, if the scam came to light or they reported them, they would cancel their status as displaced persons.

The investigation began after Alicante National Police learned that Ukrainian citizens visiting the main offices in the city were being approached by two women who offered them help in exchange for money, speaking to them in their own language.

It transpires the mother and daughter have worked as interpreters through a local company for years and knew "perfectly" the official procedures that need to be carried out, giving "greater credibility" to the deception.

Also read: Around 25,000 Ukranian refugees have already arrived in Spain

According to the police, the suspects "took advantage of the lack of knowledge of the displaced people who had recently arrived in the city and who were going to the police station to obtain the documents that would allow them to reside legally in Spain".

"They led them to believe that if they paid certain amounts of money – up to 250 euros per adult and 150 euros per minor – the procedures would be much quicker."

Given the threats that were made, most of the victims opted not to file a complaint, but investigators have so far established that the arrested women pocketed at least 5,000 euros, and have been charged with crimes of fraud, threats and coercion.

The General Directorate of the Police has established a protocol of action through Instruction 02/2022 of the General Commissariat of Foreigners and Borders, which defines the guidelines to be carried out by the Brigades of Foreigners and Borders to attend to displaced persons.

In the case of Alicante, at the Ciudad de la Luz Reception Centre, refugees are documented and issued with a temporary residence and work permit.

Image: Archive

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