Arrest of Foreigner Involved in Forgery and Illegal Document Trafficking

A foreign national was arrested in Agios Panteleimon, following a coordinated police operation, on charges of forgery, possession of travel documents belonging to third parties (on multiple occasions), and violations of drug laws. Another individual has been identified as an accomplice in the case.

Sophisticated Forgery Operation Uncovered

Authorities, acting on intelligence, established that the suspect was involved in the manufacture and sale of forged travel documents, facilitating the illegal movement of migrants to European Union countries, primarily by air.

To achieve this, he had set up a fully equipped forgery workshop in a residence in Athens, which he used solely as a clandestine production hub. To evade detection, he employed counter-surveillance tactics, as he had previously been arrested and imprisoned for similar offenses.

His renewed activity in the forgery trade dates back to 2021, when he allegedly imported specialized printing and engraving equipment from various European countries. These included:

• Professional-grade printers and engraving tools
• Gelatines with iridescent security features
• Computers with advanced image-processing software
• Other essential forgery materials

International Network and Large-Scale Document Trafficking

The suspect sold forged travel documents to smuggling networks for fees ranging from €600 to €900 per document. His network of collaborators spanned Greece, Italy, Belgium, Bosnia, and Turkey, with forged documents distributed internationally via postal services.

A 2023 Europol investigation, in coordination with German authorities, linked him to a seized parcel containing forged passports.

Arrest and Evidence Seized

During the operation, police apprehended the suspect while attempting to mail a forged French passport to his accomplice. A subsequent search of his forgery workshop—conducted in the presence of a judicial officer—led to the discovery of highly sophisticated forgery equipment, including a rare digital plastic slide engraver, underscoring the professional scale of his operations.

Seized Items:

• 83 passports
• 19 identity cards
• 8 consular visas (VISA)
• 7 residence permits
• 396 passport pages
• 40 security gelatines with iridescent elements
• Numerous blank passport covers and inner pages
• A complete forgery lab, including:
  • Digital plastic slide engraver
  • 7 laptops
  • 7 printers
  • 2 document scanners
  • 2 heat sealers
  • 2 UV verification devices
  • Laminator, hand press, and additional forgery tools
• 10 driver’s licenses
• 19.2 grams of narcotics
• Scales, 2 mobile phones, and a motorcycle used for document transportation

Estimated Criminal Profits

Authorities estimate that thousands of forged documents have been trafficked, generating illegal profits of approximately €220,000 in recent months alone.

The suspect has been transferred to the competent prosecuting authority.