A foreign couple owned a hostel in Almada that served as a platform for illegal immigration.

According to the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), a foreign couple who owned a hostel in Almada, Setubal district, were charged with facilitating illegal immigration and falsifying documents.

In a statement, SEF explained that, in cooperation with the judicial police, it executed several search warrants on homes and vehicles on the south coast on Wednesday as part of an investigation into crimes related to the facilitation of illegal immigration and the collection of illegal labor. , computer forgery and document forgery.

The crimes may have been committed by a couple of foreign nationals who are now facing charges.

The suspects operated a hostel in Almada that allegedly served as a platform to facilitate illegal immigration into Portugal.

To this end, SEF explains, they issued booking confirmations to foreign nationals who intended to enter the country illegally, for the sole purpose of serving as proof of accommodation for border crossing purposes.

According to the Foreigners and Borders Service, about 15 foreign citizens in very serious health conditions currently live in the hostel.

They also modeled employment or service contracts through companies of which they are managing partners.

According to SEF, the couple operates a fleet of vehicles on the electronic platform UBER, in which they employ several foreign nationals in an illegal situation.

In addition, they ensured that foreign citizens were registered with social security and tax authorities in exchange for large sums of money in an illegal solicitor’s scheme.

During Operation Fina Company, which involved 23 SEF inspectors, various documentation and computer materials related to the suspects’ illegal activities were seized.