NSW men arrested over involvement in fake identity making

Four men were arrested on charges of identity crime offences after a joint crime sting operation undertaken at six sites across Sydney last week.

Officials seized the accessories of the arrested criminals, including their computer systems, mobile phones, hard drives, driving licences and bank documents after their arrest last week. The men used the seized items to make fake IDs.

The New South Wales police and Australian Federal Police will reveal details of Operation Drax, under which the men were arrested, at a media conference in Sydney on Tuesday. Operation Drax was conducted by the Identity Security Strike Team. Both NSW police and AFP participated in the sting with assistance from the Australian Border Force.

Prohibited drugs were also found during the raid. In the video footage released Tuesday, police officers are seen raiding an apartment at Campsie Sydney’s south west. During the raid, they are found taking a man, 50, towards the police van. The footage also shows that the police found documents that he used to make fake identities. The man was allowed bail and ordered to attend the Burwood Local Court on Jan. 12.

Another man, 33, was arrested when the police raided an apartment in West Homebush. In the footage, he is seen being taken to an unrecognisable police car by two officers. He was charged with five counts of deals relating to identity misinformation. He was also allowed bail with an order to be present at Burwood Local Court on Jan. 19, 2016.

The third arrest was done at Carlton, where a man, 44, was charged with possession of prohibited drugs along with having items to construct fake identity proofs. He was provided with bail and was due to present at Sutherland Local Court on Jan. 14.

A Chinese woman, 51, from Carlton was detained by the ABF on charges of being an illegal immigrant and was transferred to Villawood Immigration Detention Centre. Her removal from Australia is still pending.

The officials involved in the operation have revealed some details regarding the incident earlier and gave further information at a media briefing scheduled on Tuesday morning. At the media gathering, NSW Commander of the Police Force Fraud and Cybercrime Squad Arthur Katsogiannis was present along with AFP Criminal Assets, Fraud and Anti-Corruption Commander Peter Crozier.

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