Dozens of counterfeit passports seized

RIGA - Two Latvian citizens were detainedby police in London in early August on suspicions of  using counterfeitLatvian passports, representatives of theLatvian national police said.

On August 16, Latvian investigators in cooperation with British lawenforcement authorities held a female Latvian citizen at a London airportand seized from her 11  fake Latvian passports.

After the detention of the Latvian woman, British officers conducted twosearches in London, in which more counterfeit passports were found.

On the same day, a man from Latvia was detained on suspicions oforganizing and committing a crime.

According to police information, the counterfeit documents had beenmade with a purpose to use them for various illegal activities.

On August 20, a court in London arrested the two detained Latvians. Aninvestigation against them is still under way.

The Latvian security police suspect several persons,including state officials, of counterfeiting documents necessary toreceive a Latvian passport. As a result, dozens of Latvian passports have beenissued to people who have no legal rights to them.