Ten people from London and Kent have been arrested on suspicion of supplying fraudulent passports to more than 100 high-level organised criminals.
Following an international police investigation, early morning raids took place in South London, Kent, Essex and Merseyside.
The gang is accused of supplying passports to clients including jailed drug dealer Jamie Acourt, a suspect in the murder of Stephen Lawrence.
Those arrested are suspected of using paid “lookalikes” to obtain passports.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the gang used the “lookalikes” to apply for legitimate replacement passports, but using a criminal’s photo, rather than their own.
Jacque Beer, the NCA’s regional head of investigations, said: “This is one of the most significant NCA investigations of recent times.
“We believe that this group’s activities has enabled some of the most serious organised criminality in the UK and around the world.”
Ms Beer said the hope is the case will lead to the “strengthening of safeguards against criminal exploitation of the UK passport issuing system”.
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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