Algerian Man Arrested for Forging Criminal Record Certificate in Alicante Residency Application

National Police officers have arrested a man of Algerian origin after discovering he submitted a forged criminal record certificate from his country to apply for a non-lucrative temporary residence permit in Spain.

The investigation began following a report of irregularities in the documentation presented by the alleged perpetrator, according to a statement from the Police Headquarters.

One of the requirements for obtaining a non-lucrative temporary residence is having no criminal record in Spain and in the countries of residence for the past five years. In this case, the detainee provided a certificate allegedly issued by Algerian authorities and correctly translated on security paper, which initially lent credibility to its authenticity.

Officers meticulously verified the document with the competent Algerian authorities, who confirmed the certificate was fake. This immediately triggered the appropriate protocol for such crimes, leading to the suspect's arrest.

The 58-year-old man was arrested in Alicante for document forgery, and his residence card was immediately revoked. The police actions have been reported to the Alicante Duty Court, also informing them that the perpetrator had no prior police record in Spain.

The National Police remind that document forgery is one of the crimes covered by the legal system. Documents such as criminal record certificates, passports, or employment contracts can be manipulated to meet the legal requirements demanded in immigration procedures.

In some cases, false documents are crafted manually, while in others, advanced technology is used, making detection more difficult.

There is also the possibility that the perpetrators of these crimes obtain false documents through networks dedicated to identity or document trafficking. These illegal acts not only undermine the legal security of the system in general but may also conceal more complex illegal activities, such as human trafficking or the use of false identities to commit financial crimes.