Spanish authorities, in collaboration with Ameripol, Interpol, and Bolivian law enforcement, have arrested five individuals in Bolivia for allegedly supplying fake visas to 69 Bolivian nationals who attempted to enter the European Union via a cruise ship in April 2024.
Cruise Ship Detained in Barcelona
The incident involved the MSC Armonia, a cruise vessel that had left Brazil and was calling at several Mediterranean ports before its April 2 arrival in Barcelona.
Upon reaching the Spanish port, 69 Bolivian passengers—55 adults and 14 children—were denied entry into Spain after officials discovered that their Schengen visas were falsified.
Local authorities prevented all but four passengers from disembarking.
The four individuals were allowed to stay because they had family in Catalonia.
Meanwhile, the remaining 65 passengers were deported by plane several days later.
The visa issue caused the MSC Armonia to be detained in Barcelona for two days while immigration officials conducted their investigation.
Investigation Leads To Arrests
Following the incident, police investigated the source of the fake visas. Authorities identified five travel agencies allegedly linked to the scheme and arrested five individuals in Bolivia for their involvement in manufacturing and supplying the fraudulent documents.
MSC Cruises: Responsible for Checking Documents
Upon discovering the fake visas last April, Bolivia’s foreign ministry urged the ship’s operator, MSC Cruises, to be accountable, stating that it was “their responsibility to check all the passengers’ visas before boarding the boat.”
The cruise line maintained that visa documentation was verified at embarkation.
It also acknowledged the incident through Catalan News, “We have been informed by authorities that their visas are not valid to enter the Schengen Area.”
MSC’s statement reiterated that its guests “were not able to disembark in Barcelona, which was their final destination.”
