Metropolitan Police root out fake ID factories of London

Reports from the London Evening Standard have revealed that the Metropolitan Police have recently conducted various operations to seize the sophisticated printing equipment found at several factories that are manufacturing high quality fake ID cards and other fake documentation such as fake passports, fake bills, fake driver’s licenses amongst other documents. More than 120 factories that produced fake ID documents have been shut down in the last 18 months.

The raids conducted under the name of “Operation Maxim” were directed to minimize the number of illegal immigrants entering London as well as reducing the homeland crimes related to banking and billing. The Metropolitan Police officials have also proposed the Genesius project in order to supervise the transactions going on between the customers and the factories that supply the necessary sophisticated printing equipment. With the help of such collaboration, the Metropolitan Police believe that it will be beneficial to restrict the supply of printing machinery to the customers or groups that are active in manufacturing and supplying fake IDs and fake documentation. This project is totally voluntary and the sellers as well as suppliers are encouraged to join hands to fight the groups that produce the fake IDs and fake documentation.

Several Governmental offices in London now deal with passport issuance services, and with assistance from the Crown Prosecution Service, immigration problems are tackled such as human trafficking, and fake ID detection, they are now putting up a conjoined effort to help the Metropolitan Police to root out the numerous fake ID factories within London. The Met in conjunction with the printing equipment supply companies simply joined hands and attempt to keep the high level printing equipment out of the grasps of several novice fake ID producing groups as well as the experienced fraudsters. This restriction greatly decreased the availability of fake IDs and fake documentation in the market, thereby allowing resources to be targeted more effectively.

Criminal intelligence groups also helped the Metropolitan Police to investigate and arrest 23 men mainly belonging to Russia and China. As well as recovering thousands of fake passports and other materials needed for producing around 4000 fake documents. Several scanning and printing machines as well as passport stamps, computers and other associated materials were seized from the former fake ID factories.

Such high level seizures were substantially important to set an example and show a deterrent to those involved in facilitating illegal immigration, human trafficking, and fake ID usage. These seizures also emphasized the fact that producing and supplying fake ID and fake documentation will not be tolerated, but the underlying truth of quick high profits will remain a lure for those involved. In fact, fake ID production is likely to be pushed further underground and secretive as the groups attempt to evade detection.

Counterfeit and Fake ID Factories Under the Spotlight

Recently the London Evening Standard reported that the Metropolitan Police within the last 18 months had closed in excess of 20 fake ID factories.

The initial report and operation focussed upon fake ID factories being illegally operated by organised criminals to produce counterfeit driving licences, household bills, and passports. The fake Identity documents once produced were used in a variety of illegal ways to facilitate immigration, false work visas, banking and benefit fraud, and identity theft.

Operation Maxim was established by the Metropolitan Police to combat organised illegal immigration in London, an element of this operation was the Genesius project, a joint venture project with supply partners within the printing industry, its aim is to regulate the availability of printing equipment which could be used for the production of counterfeit documents and fake identification. Affiliation to the scheme for resellers is entirely voluntary, and companies are encouraged to join and alert the Police authorities to suspicious transactions and customers. This could be the first step towards the industry tackling fake id head on and becoming fully regulated, a move widely supported by the police.

The operation creates a linked working relationship between the different agencies directly related to illegal immigration crime such as people trafficking, fake id fraud and exploitation. These include the immigration, passport and crown prosecution services. Recent successes of the project include the withdrawal of a printer from the PC World stock line, capable of printing fake ID cards, the move was welcomed as an end of line high street retailer gives wider unrestricted access to specialised printing equipment, therefore by eliminating this supply to inexperienced fake id fraudsters, the projects resources can be focussed on the smaller printing supply industry, that have previously supplied the fake identification factories.

Significant hauls of fake documentation have included the arrest of 22 men of predominantly Bulgarian, and Korean origin, the arrests were a result of an intelligence led investigation whereby nearly 2000 fake passports, and enough material to produce a further 4000 fake identification documents were recovered. The haul also included printing equipment, computers, and immigration stamps.

Detectives leading the investigation focussed on fake id recovery, and summarised the recent success as “significant in light of preventing people trafficking and illegal smuggling, this is our largest seizure of fake id documents, with an estimated value of one million pounds, this will disrupt the criminal networks, and send a message to those involved that we are active in pursuing fake id factories and will prosecute those involved.