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Airport officer helps bust passport forgery racket

The Sharjah Police recently unearthed a racket of forging passports and visas and arrested four Bangladeshis, thanks to an alert emigration officer at the emirate’s airport.

According to a police source, the main suspect had various tools for forging the passports including fake stamps and documents of various government organisations. The racket came to light when a Bangladeshi travelling back to his country from Sharjah International Airport was stopped at the passport control section.

“The emigration officer at one of the counters found out that the actual name of the traveller was S.S.S while the name in the passport he produced was M.A.M,” the source said. On being confronted with this fact, he confessed that the passport was forged and that he had got the document from another person.

The police managed to arrest the other suspect who said he was acting only as a mediator, while the forgery was being done by another person. The main suspect was arrested from another emirate.

“He told the police that he had been forging passports to make a quick buck. He forged a passport for S.S.S after taking Dh4,000 from the mediator. S.S.S, in fact, had paid the mediator Dh6,000,” the officer said.

“The main suspect said he had also forged a passport for another person, M.H, who had been staying illegally but wanted to get the document even if it was forged so that he could work in the country.” The police found out that M.H had been staying in the country for years illegally and he was arrested. After completing the legal procedures, the main suspect’s house was raided and a large number of forged passports and entry permits and the equipment used for the forgery were seized.

The suspects are currently detained and will be referred to the public prosecution.

The officer added that the police are making all efforts to arrest the people who commit various illegal activities that jeopordise the stability of the society by enabling criminals and illegals to stay in the country.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com