Police allege they have identified a fraudulent identity manufacturing operation in Sydney which had created thousands of fake identification cards, including licences, Medicare cards and credit cards.

The operation began when Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) officers detected 5000 NSW driver licence holograms after they arrived concealed in a package from China, according to a media release from the NSW Police.

Some of those cards had been used to commit fraud offences against financial institutions across Sydney. Police will also allege that false identification was used by one person to board a domestic flight.

Early yesterday (Wednesday 25 February 2015), officers executed search warrants at homes in Canley Vale, Rockdale and Lakemba. Four people have been arrested and a fraudulent identification manufacturing operation has been shut down following a joint-agency investigation by the Identity Security Strike Team. NSW Police Force Fraud and Cybercrime Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis, said this was another successful multi-agency investigation into an organised criminal syndicate involved in what police would allege was a highly sophisticated operation into the high level manufacturing of fake identification cards and other documentation.

The Identity Security Strike Team (ISST) is a multi-jurisdictional initiative between the NSW Police Force, the Australian Federal Police (AFP), and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. It investigates high level, complex identity fraud and related security matters under both Commonwealth and State legislation.

Offences dealing with identification information carry penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, while participating in a criminal group carries a penalty of up to 15 years imprisonment.

“Our message to members of the public is to always be cautious of who you provide your personal and financial information to, ensuring that there is a legitimate reason to do so,” warns NSW Police Force Fraud and Cybercrime Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis. “Always take extreme care when placing personal details such as your date of birth, address and phone contacts on your online profiles.”

Details of the operation

• At Canley Vale, officers located computer equipment, printers, card cutters, thousands of blank cards, a large quantity of holograms for licences and credit cards, electronic card templates, card readers, and fraudulent identity documents in various states of manufacture from both Australia and overseas.
• At Rockdale, officers located more than 60 mobile phones, as well as computers, card templates, pay slips, bank statements, cash and numerous false identity documents.
• At Lakemba, officers located items including approximately 40 mobile phones, a number of credit cards, driver’s licenses, Medicare cards, laptop computers USB and hard drives, financial documents, and holograms for licences.
• A 25-year-old man from Rockdale was charged with conspiracy to cheat and defraud, dealing with identification information, possess equipment/material to make false documents, and participation in a criminal group.
• A 41-year-old man from Lakemba was charged with conspiracy to cheat and defraud, dealing with identification information, participation in a criminal group, and taking of flight using an air passenger ticket in a false name, and possess equipment/material to make false documents.
• A 40-year-old woman from Canley Vale was charged with dealing with identification information, possess equipment/material to make false documents, and participating in a criminal group.
• A 57-year-old man from Canley Vale was charged with dealing with identification information, possess equipment/material to make false documents, and participating in a criminal group.
• A 50-year-old man was detained by police at the Lakemba address and handed over to Immigration officers due to him being an unlawful non-citizen.