U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have discovered fake driver’s licenses in incoming packages through the International Mail Facility at O’Hare International Airport.
During routine package inspections, officers focused their efforts on counterfeit documents produced outside the United States, especially licenses that could potentially be used by young people under 21 to impersonate others.
Fake IDs are documents that mimic the appearance of a legitimate ID, but are not issued by a recognized government agency or organization in the United States.
These documents, like counterfeit driver’s licenses, can be acquired by college students under the age of 21 to gain access to bars or establishments that sell alcohol, thereby exposing themselves to serious legal and personal risks.
Presence among minors
“CBP’s interception of these fake driver’s licenses significantly reduces the chances of underage individuals purchasing alcohol, which in turn lessens the potentially fatal consequences of these actions,” he said.
LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director of Field Operations for the Chicago Office. In addition to the legal repercussions, these interventions also help prevent fatal crashes involving underage drinking.
Since early August, CBP officers in Chicago have seized 40 shipments containing a total of 1,020 counterfeit U.S. driver’s licenses from across the country.
Under the law, only two entities are authorized by the U.S. Department of State to print international driver’s licenses in the country: the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA).
The counterfeit IDs were detected due to lack of fine details and features inconsistent with legitimate documents.
Sutton-Burke said the motive behind buying fake IDs has evolved from simple attempts by teenagers to get into bars to more dangerous activities.
“Some of the main concerns related to fraudulent ID documents include identity theft, but also workplace security, protection of critical infrastructure, and fraud linked to immigration crimes such as smuggling and human trafficking.
High caution
These documents are also used by individuals associated with terrorism to bypass travel security controls.”
CBP officers work closely with the Fraudulent Document Analysis Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, and other federal partners to combat any illicit activity.
CBP routinely conducts screening operations on international flights, intercepting narcotics, weapons, currency, prohibited agricultural products, counterfeit goods, and other illicit items at the nation’s 328 international ports of entry.
To learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations protects the nation’s borders, visit CBP’s YouTube channel.
CBP officers at the International Mail Facility at O’Hare International Airport have found multiple fake IDs as the school year approaches. These counterfeit documents were made outside of the U.S. to be potentially given to people under the age of 21. ➡️ pic.twitter.com/DsaubYnBvn
— CBP (@CBP) August 17, 2024
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