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Police arrest four for corruption at migration office

The case is believed to have links to North Africa Keystone

Geneva police have arrested four individuals at the canton’s migration office for alleged corruption involving the trafficking of residence permits.

On Thursday, police also took documents from the office for analysis and questioned about 15 employees as witnesses, according to statements made by police spokesman Henri Della Casa to Swiss Public Television RTS. 

The prosecutor on the case confirmed to RTS that suspicions of corruption are the reason for the police action.

Those arrested are suspected of having taken part in passive corruption and mismanagement of public interests. One of the four taken into custody is a consultant for the migration office, while the others are employees. 

A police source told RTS that such operations at cantonal offices are rare, and that the case has to do with trafficked residence permits which were sold at high prices. According to those with knowledge of the case, the illegal activity “can be traced back to an operation in North Africa”.

 The investigation is ongoing.


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