Arab News
 
RIYADH, Jan 23: In an hours-long operation police unearthed a forgery ring in Riyadh’s Malaz neighborhood recently. Five Indian suspects were arrested and 150 documents with government seals were confiscated.

The forged seals included those of the Riyadh Municipality, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Saudi and Indian consulates.

Other documents appeared to be from the Traffic Department, Interior Ministry and the Passport Department were also found.

The clandestine operation was found accidentally after police chased a crime suspect into an apartment. Police locked all entrances to the apartment bloc as they waited for backup.

After the arrival of more police, they broke into the apartment to find the suspect and four others along with the evidence. The apartment appeared to be a complete workshop, with computers, binding tools and laminating equipment.

The evidence also included: 400 ready-to-sell residence permits, 200 more residence permits in various stages of production, 57 fake driver’s licenses, 200 passports of various countries, forged marriage certificates, fake family ID cards, bank forms, birth certificates and CDs containing digital pictures for use in fake passports.