PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized nearly 500 counterfeit state drivers’ licenses in international air cargo that arrived in Philadelphia since May, keeping the fraudulent documents out of the hands of underage students.
CBP officers seized the latest shipment, consisting of counterfeit Connecticut and Nigerian driver’s licenses August 15. In addition to Connecticut, the fake ID’s included licenses from more than 20 states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Washington state, Florida, Vermont, and others. The fake ID’s shipped from locations in Canada, China, and from countries in Southwest Asia.
Only state motor vehicle departments issue drivers licenses.
“Counterfeit drivers licenses have historically been used by those under 21 years of age for the illegal consumption of alcohol, but fake IDs have also been used in criminal enterprises, such as identity theft cases and immigration fraud,” said Casey Durst, CBP Director of the Baltimore Field Office. “Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to exercise extraordinary vigilance during trade enforcement operations and we remain committed to the safety and security of our nation every day.”
The quality of the licenses ranges from obvious fakes to very good quality that can be scanned with barcode readers.
CBP turned many of the licenses over to state and university police investigators. The remaining licenses will be destroyed.
CBP routinely conducts inspection operations on arriving and departing international flights and intercepts narcotics, weapons, currency, prohibited agriculture products, counterfeit goods, and other illicit items at our nation’s 328 international ports of entry. Learn what CBP achieved on "A Typical Day" during 2017.
CBP's Border Security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations. Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders.
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