Document forger caught by BTP is jailed for four years

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) press release:

POSING DOCUMENT FORGER JAILED FOR FOUR YEARS

A man who posed for pictures of himself with cash made from forging identity documents has been jailed for four years after he was arrested by British Transport Police (BTP) officers during a routine operation.

Plattini Stalone de la Torre Cordoso (22) of Christian Street, Shadwell, was arrested by officers conducting a stop and search operation at Elephant and Castle Tube station on Wednesday 7 July. In his possession were two forged Portuguese ID cards and two forged Portuguese driving licences.

BTP officers searching his flat found equipment for producing forged passports, identity cards and National Insurance number cards, including stamps, embossers, printers, blank cards, holograms and paper cutters. Also found in the flat were over 400 capsules of Fenproporex, a Class C controlled drug and pictures of Cordoso posing with large amounts of cash.

An investigation found that bank accounts had been set up using the forged documents and these would be sold on as a ^package^.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Jerry Meek, of BTP^s Organised and Financial Crime Unit, said: ^Cordoso was at the forefront of an operation forging identity documents. He was caught red handed by BTP officers with false cards in his pocket and had a flat full of equipment used for this crime. The pictures we found of Cordoso show his complete disregard for the law. Forging documents plays a part in the much larger picture of criminality across the country and Cordoso^s sentence reflects this.^

Sentencing Cordoso to jail, Judge Hillen said: ^Asylum seekers, overstayers and illegal immigrants possess (forged) passports and IDs which they use to remain unlawfully (in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)) and work here where others could. You are the source of a great deal of criminality for those in need of false IDs. The documents facilitate fraud at banks and entitle benefits and clothe the criminal in a false identity which cannot be detected. You have no control of this. This could include international crime and terrorism.^

[SDS]

Still haven't caught the bloke that pulled a knife on me, useless BTP^▸ (British Transport Police).

[tramway]

We've only got ourselves to blame, you get the government you vote for.

I would have to question why the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) are being asked to prosecute a general fraud crime when they should be doing more rail related issues.

[willc]

BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) don't prosecute anyone - the Crown Prosecution Service does that.

Their officers made the arrest on railway property, that's why they handle the case, unless they choose to pass it on, which they might do if it were something like a murder, where other forces are far better equipped to investigate.

And how exactly do you define rail-related? Lots of people involved in crimes on the rail network are also involved in crimes elsewhere. Do you think dodgy scrap merchants confine themselves to dealing in stolen railway cables? I doubt it, but they are far more likely to be tracked down by a BTP investigation than anything other police forces will do.