Dozens of counterfeit passports seized

RIGA - Two Latvian citizens were detained by police in London in early August on suspicions of  using counterfeit Latvian passports, representatives of the Latvian national police said.

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

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

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

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

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

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