One man has been arrested after Richmond, B.C., RCMP officers located and dismantled a “sophisticated identification forgery lab.”
On Dec. 22, 2022, police say Richmond officers executed a search warrant at a home that was suspected to be a forgery lab. Officers found equipment consistent with a forgery lab when they entered the home.
Police say they seized high-end printers, laminators (capable of forging security features in governmental identification), thousands of blank identification cards, numerous electronic devices and computers, and stolen mail and documents.
“Anyone who has been the victim of identity theft knows how awful and violating it can be to figuratively have ‘you’ stolen,” said Insp. Michael Cohee, Richmond RCMP’s investigative services officer-in-charge.
There are many levels to identity theft, starting with mail containing personal information being stolen to fake identities being made and sold to other people. It is an intricate and complicated web often with links to organized crime.
“Identity theft is a type of fraud. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre over $383 million was lost to fraud in 2021 alone. This is a staggering amount of money. ”
The man who was arrested has been released on conditions pending further investigation, according to police.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with possible information is asked to contact Richmond RCMP at 604-278-1212.
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