A couple from south east London have admitted running a factory that made fake passports and identity documents.

Abiola Olatunji-Orelope, 34, was arrested along with his wife Folashade, 28, after their home in Claxton Path, Lewisham, was raided by the UK Border Agency on 9 September 2010.

Officers uncovered 50 counterfeit passports in various stages of construction purporting to be Ghanaian, Nigerian, Irish, Czech and even British issue.

They also seized 20 counterfeit German, Dutch and French Identity cards, around 40 fake Home Office and other National Government rubber visa stamps and ink pads, cutting boards, razor blades, paint thinners, glue, laminates, forged visas and around 30 blank birth and marriage certificates.

Officers even found a book containing a list of orders from clients and passport sized photos ready to be used in the forgeries.

Abiola Olatunji-Orelope pleaded guilty to fraud, deception and possessing false identity documents.

On Monday 23 May at Croydon Crown Court he was sentenced to three years in prison. His wife admitted possessing false identity documents and was given a one year suspended sentence plus 140 hours community service.

Alex Ttaris, from the UK Border Agency's criminal and financial investigation team, said:
'This was a sophisticated criminal operation, and I have no doubt that these fake documents would have been used to flout immigration rules, gain employment, open bank accounts and obtain other goods and services by deception.'

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/may/34Fake-ID-Factory-Lewisham

Here we go again, always on the news for all wrong reasons.

Ouch!

I do not get it, why would people be heartless? This couple had all the oppourtunity in the world to engage in life rewarding ventures yet decided to take the path that brings shame, dishonour and belittle to them and nigeria to an extent!

Also, those who engage them for thier illicit services must be either those they smuggle into the country, with criminal records of grave proportions or criminal gangs who are into identity theft!

Thank God the law is catching up with them!