Investigation
Fake Residents' Certificates
Spain's top-ranking official in the Canaries says that forgery of residents' certificates for travel subsidies has also been detected here. Speaking after the arrests of hundreds of people on the mainland in connection with fake town hall certificates showing the holders were resident in the Balearics, María del Carmen Hernández Bento said the practice was not confined to the Balearics. "I am not at liberty to give figures but there have been cases in the Canaries too. The government is adamant that the travel funding is for genuine residents and we will do everything to crack down on the fraud" said Hernández. It is believed that documents seized during the raids on the mainland, which included two travel agencies, give details of discounts obtained illegally for flights to the Canaries.