Sinan Bilgili / Istanbul, Nov 9 () – A group forging passports and visa documents for migrants, seeking to cross into Europe from Syria and Iraq illegally, have been detained over a police operation in Istanbul.
Launched by police teams fighting financial crimes at two printing houses in Başakşehir district, the operation led to detainment of five suspects, while two among them were arrested by the court.
The suspects have been allegedly providing visa to migrants for 10,000 dollars.
Investigations showed the suspects were not only providing false passport and Schengen visa, but also forging tax labels for alcohol and tobacco. The items seized under the operation included some 335 false Iraq passports, 590 green passport covers, visa papers to the U.K., Belgium, Germany, France and Netherlands, along with Syria and Turkish Republic passport covers.
The group was said to be in attempt to print regular passports, too.
Police teams have launched investigation to reveal if fake tax labels included the ones of bootleg alcohols that have killed more than 20 people.
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