Spanish police have successfully dismantled a criminal network believed to be responsible for smuggling Yemeni migrants into the United Kingdom and Canada using forged passports.

The operation was initiated in September after Canadian authorities alerted their Spanish counterparts to multiple instances of Yemeni nationals attempting to enter Spain's airports with counterfeit travel documents.According to police, the gang facilitated more than 40 irregular migration attempts, charging between $2,000 and $3,250 per person for this service.

Once in Greece, migrants obtained fraudulent refugee documents before traveling to European airports where they were equipped with fake passports by members of the smuggling ring.The investigation, which involved collaboration with authorities from Austria, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, and the UK, as well as Europol's data analysis support, led to the arrest of 11 suspected gang members, including its alleged leader.

Police utilized various investigative techniques such as tracing flight bookings, monitoring money transfers and credit card payments, analyzing airport surveillance footage, and examining electronic travel authorizations.This operation underscores the ongoing challenge faced by European countries in combating transnational smuggling networks that exploit vulnerable individuals seeking refuge or better opportunities abroad.