According to information provided by the Moroccan government, a city council member was fined €91 (1,000 dirhams) and given a year in prison for selling Schengen visas obtained unlawfully at the Spanish Consulate General in Tangier, according to EU Helpers.
Along with the council member, another scheme participant has also received a sentence. The second party involved in the incident was given a ten-month prison term by the authorities.
The council representative from Tangier allegedly traded money for the sale of Schengen visas to Spain. One of the Moroccan nationals who fell victim to the well-executed scam said that they paid the councillor €15,000 so that they could apply for the visa on their behalf.
They claim they were promised a residency permit and a job in Spain but instead obtained a Schengen visa allowing them to stay there for a maximum of 90 days. Several other people have reportedly reported similar incidents.
As it has been revealed, the city council member would demand that people looking to gain a Schengen visa unlawfully sign fictitious employment contracts.
Two workers of the Spanish consulate are also under investigation for their alleged involvement in the unauthorized issuance of Schengen visas to Moroccans, in addition to the council member. It's thought that in exchange for cash, these two assisted the councilman in securing visas on behalf of other persons.
The Moroccan police revealed that the middlemen faked all kinds of papers, like bank statements and employment contracts.
The police confirmed that once they obtained the fake documents from the middlemen they collaborated with, the staff members at the Spanish Consulate General in Tangier assisted the issuing of visas.
The Moroccan authorities did not say how many fake visas were given to nationals of the country, despite the fact that they have already convicted two persons. However, it is thought that the number is substantial.
Currently, in order to enter the Schengen Area, all Moroccan nationals must get a Schengen visa.
According to Schengen Visa Statistics' data, 423,201 Moroccans applied for visas in 2022, with Spain receiving the most requests.