Five people were last week arrested at four different locations across Paris in connection with an illegal immigration network, according to the Europe-wide police agency Europol. The five are believed to be members of an organised network which is commercially falsifying and distributing EU identity documents.
“Those arrested had been involved in the production and distribution of forged British passports, birth certificates and driving licences,” said Europol in a statement. “The price charged for a set of these forged documents was around €3,500.”
It also said that Dutch military police took simultaneous action in the Netherlands against people linked to five arrested by immigration authorities in France.
The statement noted that the suspects arrested were of Pakistani origin and “had links to producers of the documents in Pakistan”.
The group is also suspected of producing fake certificates stating that Pakistani nationals seeking asylum in the EU were Christians.
“These false certificates were used to strengthen political asylum applications in the EU on the basis of religious persecution in Pakistan,” read the statement.
Europol stated that during house searches in France, bank statements, money transfer receipts and identity documents were also seized, as well as files and supporting documentation for claiming political asylum in France.
The house search carried out in the Netherlands led to a home computer, CDs and paperwork being confiscated for examination.
“Europol supported this investigation from its early stages by providing intelligence reports, organising an operational meeting and facilitating information ex-change.”
The statement continued: “Europol also assisted during the day of action by providing technical assistance and deploying its mobile office in Paris along with two Europol officers, an illegal immigration specialist and an experienced analyst.”
