Gardaí uncover Romanian crime gang's 'manufacturing hub' for production of false passports
Gardaí have delivered a “major blow” to a Romanian crime gang after they uncovered a “manufacturing hub” for the production of false passports.
The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau also identified bank accounts, opened using the fraudulent passports, to launder more than €1.5 million in the past year, earned by defrauding people across Europe.
The bureau conducted three searches in Dublin and arrested one man.
The swoop was part of an operation involving the EU police agency, Europol, and the EU justice agency, Eurojust, as well as police forces in other member states.
“In one of the searches, we uncovered a manufacturing hub, where they were designing, printing and laminating these items,” said a garda source. “We would consider this to be a major blow to this gang.”
The gang is thought to have around five to six “core members” with a much larger group involved in setting up the accounts.
A statement issued by the Garda Press Office said: “Gardaí from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, in conjunction with Europol, Eurojust and other EU Police forces, have been conducting an investigation into an Organised Crime Group involved in cyber based frauds including bogus online sales and accommodation frauds where people throughout the EU are duped into purchasing goods online but no goods are delivered.
The money involved is then laundered through bank accounts set up in Ireland under false names. It is estimated that in excess of €1.5m has been laundered through these accounts in the past year.
Gardaí recovered false passports, details of false bank accounts, equipment, such as laptops, phones, prints and laminators.
The items are suspected to have been used in the manufacture of false passports, as well as false utility bills and other documents needed to open bank accounts.
A significant amount of cash was also seized.
“One male has been arrested under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 and he is currently detained under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 at Coolock Garda Station,” the statement said.
It said the investigation was ongoing.
The statement said that as part of the investigation previous arrests had been made in Finland and Ireland.
Garda sources said that gang crews can move between countries.
The sources said the cyber-based frauds, including the bogus online sales and accommodation sales, were occurring in other European states and the laundering in Ireland.
Gardaí said the use of these fraudulent passports was also “a question for the banks” as these criminal gangs were “bypassing” bank security systems to open accounts.
Sources said that while the searches took place in Dublin, that the gang had been active in other parts of the country, including Donegal and Meath.
It was also stressed that this “was just one gang” involved in this crime.
