XN000022-1977-08-28 — Page 2

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 1977

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IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT CATCHES UP WITH FORGERS

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A VISITOR LOOKING AT THE ASSORTMENT OF PASSPORTS, CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY, ENTRY PERMITS AND OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS IN A SMALL OFFICE IN A COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN CENTRAL, MAY BE FORGIVEN IF HE THINKS HE HAS WALKED INTO AN UNUSUAL COLLECTOR'S EXHIBITION.

THE PLACE IS IN FACT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE INVESTIGATION DIVISION OF THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, AND ONE OF ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IS TO DETECT FORGED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS.

ON DISPLAY IN THE OFFICE ARE A VARIETY OF FAKE DOCUMENTS SEIZED ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS BY IMMIGRATION OFFICERS. THEY ARE NOW USED AS TEACHING AIDS FOR RECRUITS TO THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE.

ONLY RECENTLY, A NEW BATCH OF SUCH TRAVEL DOCUMENTS WAS ADDED TO THE COLLECTION, FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF A FORGED RE-ENTRY PERMIT RACKET AND THE ARREST OF FIVE PEOPLE.

IN THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR, ABOUT 500 PEOPLE WERE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS FOR USING OR POSSESSING FORGED DOCUMENTS, COMPARED WITH 360 IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

MR. DAVID MILLS, PRINCIPAL IMMIGRATION OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE DIVISION, SAID THAT THE DETECTION RATE OF FORGED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS IN RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN VERY ENCOURAGING, AND THAT SINCE 1974 A TOTAL OF 1,168 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED.

+AMONG THE SEIZURES, A GREAT MAJORITY WERE COUNTERFEIT CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY AND RE-ENTRY PERMITS, WHILE FAKE HONG KONG BRITISH PASSPORTS AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES WERE ALSO SOMETIMES DISCOVERED,+ HE SAID,

TO A LAYMAN. IT IS DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A FAKE PASSPORT AND A GENUINE ONE. THE DISCREPANCIES HOWEVER, CAN BE EASILY SPOTTED BY THE TRAINED EYES OF IMMIGRATION OFFICERS.

+BY QUESTIONING THE HOLDER CF A SUSPECTED FALSE DOCUMENT, CHECKING HIS DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL RECORD AND EXAMINING THE DOCUMENT IN QUESTION BY USING DEVICES RANGING FROM MAGNIFYING GLASSES TO ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT, IMMIGRATION OFFICERS HAVE OFTEN BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW UP THEIR SUSPICIONS SUCCESSFULLY, MR. MILLS EXPLAINED.

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HE POINTED OUT SOME OF THE USUAL TRICKS OF THE FORGERS: PHOTOGRAPH SUBSTITUTION, ALTERATION OF PERSONAL PARTICULARS, FAKE VISA AND IMMIGRATION STAMP IMPRESSIONS, REPLACEMENT OF DOCUMENT PAGES AND IN SOME CASES THE COMPLETE FÁBRICATION OF A HOME-MADE DOCUMENT.

+MOST OF THE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS USED FOR COUNTERFEITING ARE LOST DOCUMENTS OR DOCUMENTS SOLD FOR PROFIT BY THE IR ORIGINAL OWNERS,+ HE NOTED.

/+THE

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