Kuwait City: The General Department of Residence Inquiry Affairs apprehended a Pakistani national for forging 60 visas and selling them to a recruiting agency for around 20,000 Kuwaiti dinars, Al Qabas reported.
A security source told Al Qabas, the case came to their attention after the recruiting agency filed a complaint against the accused, as they realised that they were being scammed and the permits were forged.
Although the incident happened back in February, the agency did not know that the documents were forged until recently when the permits came up for renewal.
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There was no indication that the residence permits were fake, as they were forged in a convincing manner, the source added.
The forged permits were for 60 Indian women who are working as domestic workers. The agency requested the permits, not knowing that they were going to be forged.
The agency was not able to renew the residencies earlier because the government has been shut or working under limited capacity since March 13, due to the COVID-19 crisis.
A security team was formed by the General Department of Residence Inquiry to apprehend the accused as it seemed like he had experience in forging and obtained various equipment, bought from abroad, to produce fake permits.
The security officials were able to pinpoint his whereabouts, arrest him and charge him with forgery. His case has been transferred to the public prosecution office, after he admitted to all charges brought against him.
History of forgery
This is not the first time security officials bust individuals for forgery. Back in 2016, two men were arrested for running a forgery operation where they would renew residencies in exchange for money.
In addition, in 2013 the Ministry of Interior arrested four men that were part of a ‘gang’ that sold forged residency permits for around 1,500 Kuwaiti dinars each.
