Three people have been arrested in the municipalities of Pájara and Antigua, on the island of Fuerteventura, for identity theft, with two also facing charges of document forgery, according to an official press release from the National Police.
The arrests took place during a joint operation with the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate (ITSS) aimed at identifying and tackling irregular employment and social security fraud. Inspections were carried out at a hotel in Costa Calma and a restaurant in Caleta de Fuste.
The first inspection was at a hotel where officers checked the documents of 51 staff. Among them, an 18-year-old woman, with no previous police record, was arrested for identity theft after it was discovered that she lacked both a work permit and authorisation to live legally in Spain.
A second inspection at a restaurant revealed 10 workers, eight of whom were also without valid work or residence permits. Two men, aged 21 and 40 and both without prior criminal records, were arrested for document forgery.
In addition, the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate initiated proceedings against the restaurant's owner for irregularities related to the employment of foreign workers without the necessary legal documentation. The proposed fine totals €80,080.
Authorities emphasised that operations to prevent labour exploitation and fraud against the social security system will continue across the Canary Islands.
The sad truth is that this demonstrates how desperate people are to work and how desperate businesses are to find staff in the current economic climate, even though it isn’t legal from either side.
