Frontex Expands Its Support in Spain for the Summer
Frontex and the Spanish National Police have launched Minerva, an annual operation that takes place at three Spanish ports during the busy summer holiday season. Keep Reading
European Organizations Exchange Views on Preventing Document Fraud
Frontex and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) met online this week to exchange views on the prevention of document fraud in South Eastern Europe. Keep Reading
Conviction for Man Who Ran a Fake Passport Factory From His Home
An Ecuadorian man has been convicted for running a fake passport factory from his attic in south west London, U.K. Keep Reading
INTERPOL Counterterrorism Border Operation Detects Suspects, Bomb-Making Chemicals
Boosting the ability of frontline officers at air, land and sea border crossings to detect a traveler as a potential terrorist or criminal was the focus of an operation coordinated by INTERPOL across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Keep Reading
CBP Stops Imposters at Washington-Dulles International Airport
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers identified two Cameroon women as impostors at Washington-Dulles International Airport, with the help of biometric facial comparison technology. Keep Reading
CBP Stops Fake Facebook Lottery Documents at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
CBP officers at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport intercepted packages containing documents announcing winners of $500,000 and $900,000 Facebook lotteries. The documents, some pretending to be signed by FBI Director Christopher Wray, had been mailed from overseas addressed to people in Texas and Washington State. Keep Reading
CBP Makes Two Apprehensions Through Facial Biometrics at Canada Preclearance Locations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers recently made apprehensions in Toronto and Vancouver, immediately following the implementation of Simplified Arrival, an enhanced international arrival process using facial biometrics, which began in Canada earlier this month. Keep Reading
Coronavirus
Europol Issues Warning Over Fake COVID-19 Test Certificates
Europol’s Early Warning Notification published February 1 warns that as long as travel restrictions remain in place due to the pandemic, it is very likely that criminals will seize the opportunity of producing and selling fake COVID-19 test certificates. Keep Reading
Organized Crime Network That Smuggled Migrants from Turkey to Greece is Dismantled
The investigation identified that the network, active since December 2019, owned over 130 vehicles, most of them purchased with fake documents. Keep Reading
Florida Pair Indicted for Fraud; Government Seizes Aircraft
Howard Farley and Duc Hanh Thi Vu were indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida on seven counts of fraud violations related to obtaining a Federal Aviation Administration airman certificate and U.S. passport. Keep Reading
French Police Arrest Leaders of Document Fraud Network
The criminal network procured and distributed forged and falsified administrative documents to irregular migrants from North Africa based in France, Germany, Switzerland and most likely other EU countries. Keep Reading
TSA Now Using Credential Authentication Technology at Philadelphia and Pittsburgh International Airports
The technology has been designed to enhance detection capabilities for identifying fraudulent documents at the security checkpoint. Keep Reading
Large-Scale Document Forgery Case Cracked in Germany and Greece
Operation Kosmos, initiated by the German authorities, aimed to bust a network involved in the smuggling of forged documents to facilitate the illegal border crossing of citizens across Europe. Keep Reading
Frontex Begins Second Operation Outside EU
The main aim of the operation is to tackle cross-border crime, including migrant smuggling, trafficking in human beings, document fraud, stolen vehicles and boats, smuggling of drugs and weapons and terrorism. Keep Reading
U.S. Coast Guard Identifies Concerning Trend in Maritime Law Violations in Alaska
U.S. Coast Guard investigators and inspectors have identified a concerning trend in violations of maritime law throughout the state of Alaska, ranging from illegal drug use to unserviceable life-saving equipment. Keep Reading
Members of Organized Crime Group Arrested for Document Fraud and Illegal Immigration
On 29 October, the Hellenic Police in Greece made four arrests in an operation targeting an organized crime group involved in facilitation of irregular migration. The network provided the migrants with fraudulent travel documents to facilitate their journey across borders. Keep Reading
Suspect Arrested for Large Scale Document Forgery and Aiding Illegal Immigration
The forger was active in the city center of Athens and selling and buying several documents originating not only from Greece but also from other countries. The illicit documents were then provided to irregular migrants to enable their onward travels and further residence in the European Union. Keep Reading
26 People Smugglers Arrested in 10 Days
Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, led an international operation against serious and organized cross-border crime in Central and South Eastern Europe, which commenced June 28 and concluded July 8. Keep Reading
Mexican Citizen Imprisoned for Operating Document Mill That Produced Over 1,000 False IDs
The initial investigation into Buendia-Chavarria led law enforcement officials to a larger case involving Corso’s Flower and Garden Center, which culminated in June this year with raids. Keep Reading
19 Foreign Nationals Indicted for Illegally Voting in 2016 Elections
Indictments follow an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as part of a newly created Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force. Keep Reading