Police in Germany & Portugal have raided properties associated with a gang suspected of arranging fake marriages in order to make it easier for Nigerians to come to Europe.

Berlin police say they searched forty-one homes & offices in the German capital early Tuesday, arresting five people.

Officers also seized passports, European Union residency permits, cell phones & storage devices.

According to Fox News, the synchronized operations took place in Portugal.

German federal police spokesman Jens Schobranski said the suspects detained are a 50-year-old Nigerian man, two Nigerian women aged 46 & 50, & 2 German women aged 55 & 64.

They are accused of selling certificates to Nigerian men documenting fake marriages with Portuguese women in over 70 cases, taking up to 13,000 Euros each time.