CBP officers seize over 1,000 fake driver's licenses at O'Hare International Airport
CHICAGO - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at O’Hare International Airport have found over 40 shipments of counterfeit driver's licenses at the International Mail Facility since August.
While conducting routine package checks, officers zeroed in on counterfeit documents made outside the U.S., which were likely intended to help underage young adults fake their identities. A total of 1,020 counterfeit U.S. driver's licenses were seized over the last two weeks.
Fake documents, like the driver’s licenses shown above, are often used by college students under 21 to get into bars or places that serve alcohol. However, buying these fake IDs can put them at serious risk.
"Counterfeit driver’s licenses are used by young adults who have not yet reached the legal drinking age," said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations, Chicago Field Office. "Not to mention the criminal consequences, CBP's interception of these IDs significantly reduces the chances for alcohol to be purchased by underage individuals and hopefully reduces the consequences of their actions, including deadly accidents."
Sutton-Burke also said the reasons for buying fake IDs have changed over time. What used to be just teens trying to get into bars has now shifted to more serious and risky activities.
"Some of the major concerns as they relate to fraudulent identity documents include identity theft, worksite enforcement, critical infrastructure protection, fraud linked to immigration-related crimes such as human smuggling and human trafficking, and these documents can be used by those individuals associated with terrorism to minimize their scrutiny undergoing travel screening measures," said Sutton-Burke.
CBP said it routinely inspects packages arriving and departing on international flights and intercepts narcotics, weapons, currency, prohibited agricultural products, counterfeit goods and other illicit items.