Three young promises from a Latin American country arrived in Spain with the promise that they would sign a contract that never existed
The offer was tempting: travel to Cantabria to sign for a soccer team and start a career with a clear projection towards professionalism. For the three young Latin Americans – all in their twenties – it was the perfect plan; but it turned out to be a lie. The promised contract did not exist and after six months of their stay in Spain they found themselves on the street and without papers. That is why they denounced their case and the investigations of the National Police ended a few days ago with the arrest of two men, aged 41 and 55, accused of favoring illegal immigration.
The story goes back to the end of last year. A scout from a Cantabrian team -who the Police did not want to reveal- spoke with these young people in their country of origin -also not specified in the information to which El Diario Montañés has had access- in Latin America. He promised them a meteoric career in Spain and first demanded that they pay 2,300 euros plus the cost of the plane to Cantabria.
The victims of this deception, which is not a scam, because at no time was there any signed document, heeded all the instructions that this subject gave them. They showed the return ticket to their country at the airport, the reservations in different hotels in Spain and the economic capacity for the stay, requirements to prove that they travel as a tourist. Obviously, they never revealed the real reason for their visit. The three made great economic efforts, supported by their families, to cover all these expenses.
Once in Cantabria, a man -the other contact in the community- picked them up, but from that moment on their dream was cut short. After celebrating his ‘deed’ on social networks, the months went by without them having set foot on the pitch with their team other than for a friendly match. The supposed job offers with which they were going to earn a salary with which to pay for life in Cantabria did not exist and after six months they found themselves on the street, without money or documentation. Nor was the promise that the club’s lawyers would get them residence permits true.
So on July 12 they decided to file a complaint with the Police, and the investigations carried out by the Provincial Immigration and Borders Brigade determined the deception generated so that the soccer players emigrated irregularly to Spain in exchange for an economic consideration.
The investigations continued and on September 12 the agents located the two suspects, both residents of Cantabria; and then proceeded to their arrest as alleged perpetrators of a crime of favoring illegal immigration. The two men, who have no criminal record, were released after giving evidence and will be tried. The penalties for this crime carry an economic sanction and between two and five years in prison.
