Albania police arrest 32 in counterfeit travel visa scheme

TIRANA, Albania – Albanian police have cracked down a suspected visa ring issuing fake documents to help people illegally go to Western European countries, Britain, the United States and Canada.

A police statement Saturday said 32 people, including a border policeman, were arrested and four others are still being sought. Police also seized four workshops with equipment to produce fake documents to traffic people through Albania, Montenegro, Italy, Greece, France or Norway.

Police say migrants paid 10,000 pounds ($13,000) to go to Britain and up 20,000 euros ($23,000) to get to the U.S. or Canada.

The operation codenamed “Wrong Path” builds on another crackdown last year in which police arrested nine other Albanians.

Albanian citizens can travel to most EU nations without visas but require visas to go to Britain, the U.S. or Canada.