Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (SP)

Kasargod, Jun 7: Even as the government is taking measures to increase security features towards making passports foolproof, fake passport manufacturers have raised their ugly heads again with the aim of providing fake passports to illegal immigrants.

In the past, the police had busted a racket involved with manufacture of fake passports at Palakunnu, Hosdurg. It is said that this racket had provided fake passports to over 250 persons, and so far, the crime branch police have failed in their aim to find out the identities of most of the beneficiaries of this activity.

The crime branch has now been warned about this activity getting foothold again in the region. The current gang operates by replacing original photographs in passports with the ones belonging to people who are in need of these passports. The police say that a firm named Kasargod Agency based in the district has been making use of modern technology to create fake passports.

Passport officials claim that they have closed most of the loopholes as the individual applicants have to personally visit passport centres unlike in the past, and their photos are clicked then and there. They also say that all the documents furnished are being minutely examined. Therefore, they feel that creating fake passports is not easy, and that even if they are made, they can be easily detected.

The police claim they have information about some residents from the state having travelled to the Gulf with the help of fake passports. They also say that as per their information, the producers of fake passports have links with fake passport manufacturers functioning abroad.

The new passport manufacturing gang appears to have studied all these aspects and put plans in place to bypass these security features and make passports with the use of modern technology.