Europol and Polish border guards have busted an international gang that produced fake passports, visas and driving licenses. The group had been operating since 2020, distributing fakes via social media and charging €1,500 for each case. The fake documents were advertised under the guise of “legal assistance”, and clients later received photos of the finished fake documents via messenger.
The documents themselves were sent by post or delivered in person. During this operation, law enforcement officers seized 12,000 fake documents, arrested all members of the gang and confiscated €250,000. In December 2024, police detained seven suspects and seized electronic equipment, bank cards and fake documents as a result of raids carried out in four locations.
The network was exposed through monitoring of social media, where the criminals were actively promoting their services. The European Criminal Police Organization (Europol) assisted Polish intelligence services in identifying the organizers and their plans. This case demonstrates the growing role of social media in planning crimes and the effectiveness of international cooperation in combating document forgery. Fake ID cards open the way for fraudsters to illegal employment, financial fraud and other crimes.
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