At the beginning of November, the National Police arrested three local police officers from Santa Susanna (Barcelona) and the PP councilor of the municipality, Inmaculada Casilla, suspected of being part of a network dedicated to the regularization of foreigners. The police accuse the four involved of simulating contracts for a criminal organization that allegedly fraudulently processed residence permits for forty people, according to sources in the case. Those investigated allegedly pretended to employ various people as domestic workers in exchange for money so that the group could legalize their situation in Spain. The detention of the four accused was voided after appearing before the police, and they remain under investigation for the crimes of document falsification, criminal organization and a crime against the rights of foreigners.
The investigation, at the hands of the 23rd investigative court of Barcelona, began with a first phase in May, with an agency involved, in which eight people, considered the leadership of the organization dedicated to illegal regularization, were arrested. Subsequently, on November 4 and 5, the National Police summoned the three police officers and the councilor to their headquarters at the La Verneda police complex in Barcelona, and they were formally detained there, as confirmed by police sources consulted by EL PAÍS. Assisted by lawyers, after being read their rights and giving a statement, they were released, investigated, waiting to be summoned by the court investigating the case. Sources in the case assure that those involved denied the facts. In addition, three other people were arrested.
This newspaper has tried without success to contact the detained PP councillor, who was number 28 on the party lists in Barcelona in the last Congressional elections. The woman is the partner of one of the police officers also detained. The Popular Party has not taken any action against the councilor. The Santa Susanna City Council (3,800 inhabitants) has opened a disciplinary file against the two local agents, both corporals. One of them is currently working, and the second is on leave, affected by another internal file, indicate municipal sources. The third of the police officers is a mosso d’esquadra, who requested a leave of absence during his time in the local police force of Santa Susanna. He moved, who has already returned to the regional police force, is currently stationed in Granollers and continues working, awaiting the evolution of the investigation, as confirmed by the Catalan police.
The mayor of Santa Susanna, Joan Campolier (AiS-Junts), assures that he learned about the police arrests through internal information, and that now the intention is to appear in the judicial case to know exactly the details that affect the two agents. who continue to be part of the municipal staff. He mosso d’esquadra is outside its powers, since it has returned to the regional police. His case was handed over to the internal affairs of the Catalan police. “Now we are in an instructional process,” explains Campolier. In any case, when there is an active judicial investigation, the disciplinary files are paralyzed while awaiting the judicial resolution before making a ruling.