Guinea-Bissau: Police detain alleged head of visa trafficking network

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Guinea-Bissau: Police detain alleged head of visa trafficking network

11:37 CAT | 04 Jul 2024

File photo: Lusa

The alleged ringleader of a visa trafficking network in Guinea-Bissau has been detained in an operation in which more than a thousand passports and documentation for scheduling visa appointments were seized, the Judicial Police (PJ) announced on Wednesday.

He is a Guinea-Bissau citizen, the national director of the PJ (the country’s main criminal investigation agency), Domingos Monteiro Correia, said at a press conference, adding that the detainee has been referred to the public prosecutor’s office, but the investigation continues in search of others involved.

The detention and seizure of more than a thousand passports and documents took place during an operation launched three days ago as part of an investigation into a group of people “duly organised in a structure dedicated to scheduling appointments and granting visas”, particularly for Portugal.

Following the ongoing investigation, search and seizure warrants issued by the Public Prosecutor’s Office were executed, and the main suspect in the network who charges “exorbitant amounts, from 500, 600 up to one million francs cfa (between €700 and €1,500) for a process, which costs around €90 through legal channels, was detained.

The scam, according to the authorities, consists of hoarding visa application slots that are periodically made available online, restricting access for those who need it and forcing those interested to pay to get a visa.

In addition to the losses and financial damage to the victims of this scam, which has been going on for several years in Guinea-Bissau, the offences involved include forgery and criminal association, according to the national director of the PJ.

“It’s not just a scam,” he emphasised, taking the opportunity to appeal to the public not to give in to these schemes.

Domingos Monteiro Correia emphasised that “there are legal procedures for acquiring visas from the competent authorities”.

“It’s preferable, before getting involved in any promise, to gather information, contact the relevant authorities, specifically the embassy, to acquire a visa or make an appointment,” he emphasised.

The national director said that the PJ has been working on this issue for some time and “has already seized thousands of receipts of amounts paid and files”.

Even with the detention of what is considered the main suspect, the investigation continues, according to the national director, who says that there are more people involved and that the PJ “intends to uncover everything”.

He also said that the investigation is not confined to Bissau, but is taking place all over the country, since this scheme “has a network of canvassers in the various regions” of Guinea-Bissau.

Source: Lusa