Five Nigerian ‘husband smuggling ring’ arrested

The  police in Germany have arrested five people for allegedly smuggling Nigerian men into the country through arranged marriages . 
A statement by the German police said 400 police officers raided 41 apartments and rooms suspected to be linked to the gang in Berlin and other German cities . 
It was reported that the gang ’s suspected leaders – four women and a man , ranging in age from 46 to 65 – were arrested . 
Germany ’ s newspaper , Bild , said police investigation conducted with Portuguese authorities and Europol , revealed that no fewer than 70 men were brought in illegally through arranged marriages with Portuguese women . 
According to the police , Europol , the European Union ’ s law enforcement agency, served as the host for operational meetings between the Portuguese and German investigators . 
Clients had paid up to € 13 ,000 for fake certificates , with part of the sum going to women who would fly from Portugal to join their “husbands ” at the German immigration office to apply for an EU residency permit . 
Similar cases were detected in June when the police found out that more than 700 German men in Berlin had married pregnant asylum seekers for money .