U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, assigned to the Area Port of Memphis, seized nearly 2,000 counterfeit driver’s licenses and two fake passports at an express consignment facility over the past week.
This, according to a CBP press release.
The shipments originated out of China on their way to various destinations throughout the United States. Many of the shipments were smuggled in the bottom of boxes containing a single tassel, and were manifested as a Chinese knot, according to the CBP press release.
Members of the Fraudulent Document Analysis Unit examined the IDs and determined they were fake. Homeland Security Investigations continues to investigate. People sell fake IDs on the black market for $250 – $500, often to high school students — but illegal aliens also use them when they try to gain entry into the United States, the CBP press release said.
“Some may think fake IDs are mostly associated with underage drinking, but it’s much more than that,” said Michael Neipert, CBP Area Port of Memphis Director, in the press release.
“Fraudulent IDs can also be associated with identity theft and terrorist activity. With all the uncertainty currently facing our nation, it is inherent that CBP Memphis Officers/Agriculture specialists remain steadfast in securing the nation’s borders.”
CBP officers coordinate findings with CBP’s Fraudulent Document Analysis Unit, Homeland Security Investigations and other federal partners in an effort to combat this illicit activity, the CBP press release said.
The Area Port of Memphis is assigned to CBP’s New Orleans Office of Field. Its area of operation includes ports in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama. Information concerning counterfeit merchandise can be reported through e-Allegations Online Trade Violation Reporting System. Border security crimes, including narcotic and contraband smuggling, human trafficking, currency smuggling, terrorism, and immigration, trade, and agriculture violations in the CBP New Orleans five-state area can also be reported by calling 1-866-237-3468.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Each of those ID’s has a picture, a name and an address. I sure hope that a law enforcement officer is visiting each and everyone of those addresses, and talking to each one of those “people” to find out what’s going on.
“The shipments originated out of China”.
I sure hope that Americans start to understand the reality. China, and specifically, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are an existential threat to the United States of America, and global freedom!
We stop the CCP dead in their tracks by not buying Chinese products, by forcing American companies to relocate their factory to places other than China, preferably the USA. And by making sure that your retirement investments, aka 401K’s, don’t include funds that invest in Chinese companies.