PHOTO: 3 nabbed for fake passport, visa racketeering

• Posted on January 26, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Three persons who, for over 13 years, have been falsifying visas are now in the grips of the Accra Regional Police Command.

The trio is Moses Lamptey, 69, a trader; William Kofi Mensah, 45, a businessman; and Eric Nyamekye, 35, an artist.

Speaking about the arrest, the Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Effia Tenge, stated that on Friday, January 22, the police embarked on an operation based on a tip off that some people were supplying fake passports and falsifying visas.

The police then embarked on an operation within Kokomlemle, Bubuashie, Anyaaa and Bortianor, which led to the arrest of the three suspects.

After the arrest, the police retrieved over 190 Ghanaian, American, British, South African, Netherlands and Nigerian passports, three printers and one camera.

Other items recovered were 75 different rubber visa stamps, two lamination machines, a laptop, a coloured printer and other forged documents.

In their caution statement, the suspects admitted falsifying documents for their clients, and claimed that they charged grade one and grade two fees.

According to them, the grade one fee starts from $1,200, which secures you a visa that can enable you pass through the immigration of the country of origin to your destination.

The grade two, which costs between $700 and $800, only takes you through the immigration of the country of origin but cannot see you through the immigration of your destination.

Investigations are still ongoing, after which the trio would be put before court.

By Emefa Abla ADJEI, Accra