An international criminal group involved in human-trafficking and illegal immigration from southeast Asia and CIS countries to Western Europe through Russia has been broken by joint efforts of the Russian and foreign security services, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on March 15.

The operation was carried out together with colleagues from Uzbekistan, Italy, Finland and the Interpol services.

“More than 20 criminals, including the ring leaders, have been arrested in the operation,” Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement Thursday.

“The criminal group, which involved Moldavians and Ukrainians, was organized by a Russian official,” the statement said

According to the FSB fake firms were set up in Russian cities using fictitious employment contracts with Russians in a scam designed to obtain their foreign passports.

Criminals subsequently used the foreign passports to apply for European visas, change the passport data and illegally send people to Western Europe, the FSB reported.

“Six criminal cases have been opened against the criminal ring leaders. Investigative and search measures continue,” the FSB said.

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