Photos: Nearly 1,000 fake IDs confiscated at Chicago's O'Hare Airport
CHICAGO - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized nearly 1,000 counterfeit driver's licenses at the International Mail Facility at O'Hare International Airport between Jan. 21 and Jan. 26.
CBP noted that with the start of the spring semester, there has been an increase in fake documents passing through O'Hare.
What we know:
Counterfeit documents are fake versions of legal documents that may look legitimate but are not issued by an official organization or government agency. In the U.S., they are not recognized as valid forms of travel or identification.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), fake IDs are often used by college students under 21 to enter bars or businesses that serve alcohol.
During inspections, officers discovered 984 counterfeit IDs hidden inside laptop chargers, plastic mirrors, and jewelry boxes.
In the U.S., only two organizations are authorized by the Department of State to print international driver's licenses: The American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA).
CBP officers identified the documents as counterfeit due to missing fine-line details and design inconsistencies.
What they're saying:
The Director of Field Operations at the Chicago Field Office, LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, said buying fake IDs has evolved from teens trying to get into bars to more "nefarious activity."
"Producing these documents without proper authorization and oversight is illegal, and the story doesn’t stop there. Fake documents are associated with identity theft and human trafficking, and the revenue generated from their sales is known to fund organized crime. Our officers and specialists are trained to recognize a spectrum of fake identification, and their hard work protects innocent civilians around the world."
The Source: Information from this article was provided by the CBP Chicago Field Office.