CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY LISBON
TELNO 1
OF 091114Z JANUARY 92
INFO PRIORITY FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
нио
RECEIVED IN REGISTA
17 JAN 199
2
163700
MDLIAN 5943
P/w: Passport poking
file
COUNTERFEIT PORTUGUESE PASSPORTS.
SUMMARY
1. OUR COMMERCIAL CRIME BUREAU (CCB) IS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE SUPPLY OF COUNTERFEIT PORTUGUESE PASSPORTS. IT IS ALLEGED THAT A NUMBER OF PORTUGUESE NATIONALS HOLDING POLITICAL OFFICE OR WHO HAVE POLITICAL CONNECTIONS IN PORTUGAL HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. WE WOULD WELCOME YOUR ASSISTANCE TO CONFIRM THEIR STATUS.
DETAIL
2. ON 9 OCTOBER 1991, A HONG KONG RESIDENT PRODUCED A PORTUGUESE PASSPORT AT HEATHROW WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISED BY IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES THERE AS A FORGERY. THE PASSPORT WAS SEIZED AND THE PERSON CONCERNED WAS REFUSED PERMISSION TO LAND IN THE UK. THE METROPOLITAN POLICE AT HEATHROW REPORTED THE INCIDENT THROUGH INTERPOL TO INTERPOL LISBON AND INTERPOL HONG KONG. INTERPOL HONG KONG HAVE SINCE REFERRED THE CASE TO CCB FOR
INVESTIGATION.
3. 71 PASSPORTS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN ISSUED THROUGH A PROMINENT LOCAL SOLICITOR IN HONG KONG VIA HIS CONTACT IN PORTUGAL UNDER AN INVESTMENT SCHEME WITHOUT GOING THROUGH NORMAL APPLICATION PROCEDURES. OF THESE, 62 HAVE SO FAR BEEN SEIZED CONE IN UK AND THE OTHER 61 IN HONG KONG). ALL BUT 2 ARE OBVIOUSLY COUNTERFEIT. THE LOCAL SOLICITOR INVOLVED HAD IMPLICATED IN THE SCHEME A NUMBER OF PORTUGUESE NATIONALS WHO HE BELIEVES EITHER HOLD HIGH POLITICAL OFFICE THEMSELVES, OR HAVE POLITICAL CONNECTIONS IN PORTUGAL.
4. GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD CONFIRM THE STATUS OF THE FOLLOWING PORTUGUESE NATIONALS ALLEGED TO BE INVOLVED:
THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER
4012
FOI EXEMPTION NO...40 (2)
1
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