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NZ Customs
Fake United Nations’ diplomatic passports were amongst those seized in the warrant.
A man running a sophisticated forgery ring that supplied fake diplomatic passports has been sentenced to three months’ community detention and fined $10,000.
Business owner Anthony Magnoli, 46, appeared in the Whanganui District Court on Thursday facing charges related to knowingly exporting goods for dishonest purposes and using the United Nations Emblem under false pretences.
Two others – staff members, 38-year-old Kolbe Hungerford-Morgan and 22-year-old Xenia Hungerford-Morgan – also appeared on the same charges.
The three were arrested after Customs began its investigation, Operation Eldorado, in November 2019 when it received information from overseas authorities.
It executed a search warrant at Magnoli Props, a Whanganui-based company that operated from Magnoli’s home.
NZ Customs
Customs says the documents were “high quality”.
Customs’ investigators seized equipment needed to make the fake documents, and found passports both partially finished and others ready for export.
The documents also included drivers’ licences and United Nations’ identification cards and diplomatic passports.
According to Customs, it was a “made-to-order” online business that supplied people in several countries including in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan and Australia.
NZ Customs
Equipment needed to produce the fake documents was found at the Whanganui-based business.
Chief Customs officer for fraud and prohibition Nigel Barnes said the items they found were of “extremely high quality”.
”Overseas law enforcement found a number of the false documents at their borders, or in the hands of criminals using them for illegal activities including loan fraud.
”Customs will shut down and prosecute anyone who is undertaking this type of criminal activity.”
NZ Customs
Drivers’ licences and other identity documents were supplied to people worldwide, Customs says.
Homeland Security Investigations attache Ernest Verina said they would continue to work with international partners to get “great outcomes” like in this case.
”I commend the vital collaborative work of New Zealand Customs in their relentless efforts to hold this forgery ring accountable.”
For his part, Kolbe Hungerford-Morgan received two months community detention and a $10,000 fine, while Xenia Hungerford-Morgan was discharged without conviction because of the “minor administrative role she had”.
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