Passports stolen in clubs being forged and used in bid to enter country
Eastern European gangs operating the scam are charging anything between €1,000 and €2,000 for the forged passports.
So far this year, 30 forged Irish passports, some of which have been described as “excellently done”, have turned up at Cork Airport, and gardaí fear there may be many more out there.
Some nightclubs and licensed premises will not take any other forms of ID as proof of age. The passports are being stolen by gang members from people’s jackets or handbags.
It is believed they are then forged in Paris and given to Romanians who are entering Cork on Aer Lingus flights from Barcelona and Nice.
The situation has become so bad that the Garda National Bureau of Immigration has sent a man to Barcelona to vet passengers before they board flights to Cork.
One garda source said that most passports are stolen from people in the 20 to 30 age group. When traced back to the owner it is more often than not the case that they were stolen in a bar or a nightclub.
It is understood that nearly 100 forged passports have been seized at Cork Airport so far this year.
“The forged Irish ones are becoming more common. We also have seized forged Czech, Slovak and Lithuanian passports,” a garda source said.
“This is very well organised,” the source added.
Just two weeks ago, officers at Cork Airport discovered six forged passports on one flight from Barcelona and a further six on a flight from Nice. The carrier, Aer Lingus, has been warned about the situation.
However, even if caught with forged passports, those holding them are still entitled to look for asylum status. “When it is pointed out to them that the passports are forged, they just say they are looking for asylum,” the garda source added.
“In some cases we’ve even had their solicitor’s ringing ahead before the flight has touched down saying such a person on board will seek asylum.”
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