NATIONAL Police in Madrid have arrested 35 people thought to be part of a racket organising marriages of convenience for a fee.

The culprits are said to have charged 10,000 euros per couple to marry Nigerian citizens to Spaniards, in order for the former to obtain residence rights in Spain.

Officers believe the Spanish half of the couple received 3,000 euros for the privilege.

Most of the arrests were made in Salamanca, and in Medina del Campo (Valladolid).

But others were detected in Mallorca, Sevilla, Jaca (Huesca), Arcos de la Frontera (Cádiz), Pamplona, Alicante, and Gibraleón (Huelva).

The gang is said to have forged marriage certificates so that the Nigerians could present these in the registry office in order to obtain a Libro de Familia.

Investigations began in May when police detected an unusually high number of religious marriages in Mallorca between Spaniards and Nigerians.

The ring-leaders of the racket are said to be two Nigerians, identified only as Eddie and Raúl, who ran a complex international organisation from their home in Fuenlabrada (Madrid).

Many of the Spanish spouses are said to be members of the gypsy communities in Alcalá de Henares and Torrejón de Ardoz (Madrid).

Police seized nearly two kilos of heroin, marihuana and cocaine after raiding various houses, together with a number of fake passports and aeroplane tickets bought with cloned credit cards.