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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Britain fails fake passport test | Britain fails fake passport test |
| (3 days later) | |
| Serious questions have been raised over Britain's border security after a BBC journalist entered the UK twice on fake and stolen passports. | Serious questions have been raised over Britain's border security after a BBC journalist entered the UK twice on fake and stolen passports. |
| Shahida Tulaganova obtained 20 illegal passports - each from an EU country, including the UK - within months. | |
| Those in the trade told her to travel via sea or bus, saying port security was less stringent than airports. | Those in the trade told her to travel via sea or bus, saying port security was less stringent than airports. |
| The Home Office said it works closely with the EU to tackle the crime, taking the issue of false documents seriously. | The Home Office said it works closely with the EU to tackle the crime, taking the issue of false documents seriously. |
| In 2004, 8,285 fraudulent documents were detected at UK ports of entry, according to Home Office figures. | In 2004, 8,285 fraudulent documents were detected at UK ports of entry, according to Home Office figures. |
| Entering the UK on a fake or stolen passport carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, while making a false statement to obtain a passport can lead to a prison sentence of up to two years. | Entering the UK on a fake or stolen passport carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, while making a false statement to obtain a passport can lead to a prison sentence of up to two years. |
| Shahida travelled across Europe to obtain her false documents for her Panorama investigation. | Shahida travelled across Europe to obtain her false documents for her Panorama investigation. |
| They ranged in price from just £250 to more than £1,500. Some were provided within several days, while others took weeks. | They ranged in price from just £250 to more than £1,500. Some were provided within several days, while others took weeks. |
| She found her first illegal passport dealer in the centre of London - through an advertisement in a Russian language newspaper. | She found her first illegal passport dealer in the centre of London - through an advertisement in a Russian language newspaper. |
| The dealer - Henry - provided her with a genuine Czech passport, by getting someone who looked like her to apply for one, using her photo. | The dealer - Henry - provided her with a genuine Czech passport, by getting someone who looked like her to apply for one, using her photo. |
| Forgery detection | Forgery detection |
| Shahida's investigation poses questions over the number of non-EU nationals entering Britain on illegal passports. She uses Poland as an example. | Shahida's investigation poses questions over the number of non-EU nationals entering Britain on illegal passports. She uses Poland as an example. |
| "Since [Poland] country joined the EU less than two years ago a quarter of a million Poles have left and legally registered for work in Britain," she says. | "Since [Poland] country joined the EU less than two years ago a quarter of a million Poles have left and legally registered for work in Britain," she says. |
| "But if my contacts are right, many of these may not have been Poles at all, but illegal immigrants using fake passports." | "But if my contacts are right, many of these may not have been Poles at all, but illegal immigrants using fake passports." |
| SHAHIDA'S PASSPORTS UK, GermanyFrance, Italy Sweden, Denmark Finland, Estonia Netherlands, Belgium Spain, PortugalGreece, SloveniaCzech Republic, PolandAustria, SlovakiaLithuania, Latvia | SHAHIDA'S PASSPORTS UK, GermanyFrance, Italy Sweden, Denmark Finland, Estonia Netherlands, Belgium Spain, PortugalGreece, SloveniaCzech Republic, PolandAustria, SlovakiaLithuania, Latvia |
| Shahida enters Britain via boat - from Spain to Portsmouth - on a fake Latvian passport, and then later on the Eurostar using a stolen Estonian passport. | Shahida enters Britain via boat - from Spain to Portsmouth - on a fake Latvian passport, and then later on the Eurostar using a stolen Estonian passport. |
| Despite information on stolen passports being registered to a central Interpol database, her Estonian passport goes undetected. | Despite information on stolen passports being registered to a central Interpol database, her Estonian passport goes undetected. |
| The Home Office says there is a "comprehensive bilateral exchange of information between member states regarding the issue of lost and stolen EU passports". | The Home Office says there is a "comprehensive bilateral exchange of information between member states regarding the issue of lost and stolen EU passports". |
| It maintains that in addition to this, all immigration officers are highly trained in identifying false documents. | It maintains that in addition to this, all immigration officers are highly trained in identifying false documents. |
| "All our immigration officers at British ports are trained in forgery detection techniques and have access to specialist forgery detection equipment," a spokesperson said. | "All our immigration officers at British ports are trained in forgery detection techniques and have access to specialist forgery detection equipment," a spokesperson said. |
| The government has also introduced biometric e-passports with images securely stored inside chips, in an attempt to combat forgery and improve the security of British passports. | The government has also introduced biometric e-passports with images securely stored inside chips, in an attempt to combat forgery and improve the security of British passports. |
| Panorama: My Fake Passports and Me will be broadcast on Monday, 4 December, 2006 at 2100 GMT on BBC One. | Panorama: My Fake Passports and Me will be broadcast on Monday, 4 December, 2006 at 2100 GMT on BBC One. |