AT least four Brits are being investigated in the Canary Islands over applications to gain residency in Spain using forged ‘padron’ documents.

The foreigners’ office in Santa Cruz de Tenerife first alerted police after suspecting that doctored padron certificates were being used to prove applicants had been living in Spain before the Brexit cut off date.

Those Brits already resident in Spain before December 31, 2020 have the right to remain in Spain under the withdrawal agreement.

One way of proving that is to show that you were registered on the ‘padron’ – before the deadline.

But at least four British nationals have been found to have used tampered documents in their applications in a police operation codenamed ‘Malvinas’ – the Spanish name for the Falkland Islands.

All four applications were from Brits living in the southern part of Tenerife and one arrest has been made, although Policia Nacional said further arrests have not been ruled out.

Last year the Olive Press revealed how Brits on the Costa Blanca had been caught up in a scheme that used faked documents on residency applications.

Dozens of Brits were questioned by police after it emerged one gestor’s office was using doctored padrons in applications without their knowledge.

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