Counterfeit badges pose ‘serious’ security risk--Russian arrested

[rainbow4321]

How long before we start to hear about "high quality" National ID counterfeit cards?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7818052/

Tuesday’s success story about government agents seizing counterfeit badges has turned into Wednesday’s nightmare. An unknown number of those badges are now in the hands of criminals, according to federal officials.

Earlier this week agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of Homeland Security seized more than 1,300 “high-quality counterfeit” badges. The phony badges copied those of 35 different federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, according to a statement ICE released Wednesday.

Among the fakes nabbed by ICE are those resembling badges of the FBI, the Secret Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New York Police Department and even the Federal Air Marshal Service, the agency assigned to protect commercial air travel.

The bad news: “This seizure has serious Homeland Security and public safety implications, given that these counterfeit badges may have been intended for use by criminals and others with no legal authority to carry law enforcement badges,” ICE said in a statement. And ICE has no idea how many of those fake badges may already be in the hands of criminals. “We’re examining that closely,” said Manny Van Pelt, an ICE spokesman. “It is obviously a serious security issue.”


http://www.ice.gov/graphics/news/newsreleases/articles/20050510newyork.htm

ICE ARRESTS RUSSIAN MAN IN N.Y. WITH MORE THAN 1,000 COUNTERFEIT LAW ENFORCEMENT BADGES; FIREARMS; POLICE SCANNERS AND OTHER GEAR
NEW YORK, NY – Martin D. Ficke, Special Agent-in-Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York, today announced that ICE agents and officials from the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Sergio Khorosh yesterday on charges of knowingly transferring counterfeit police badges in interstate or foreign commerce; knowingly possessing and offering for sale counterfeit police badges; and illegal weapons possession.

Sergio Khorosh, a native of Russia and a resident of the Bronx, New York, made his initial court appearance late yesterday in the Southern District of New York after his arrest by ICE agents assigned to the El Dorado anti-money laundering task force and U.S. Marshals Service.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, the investigation began on April 25, 2005, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspectors in San Francisco intercepted a package from Taiwan that was marked “badges.” The package contained 100 counterfeit U.S. Marshals Service badges imprinted with the stamp of the legitimate manufacturer on the back. The package was addressed to “Pro Products Co” at an apartment in the Bronx, according to the complaint.

ICE agents launched an investigation and determined that the Bronx address was linked to Sergio Khorosh, who represented himself on the Internet as the owner of “Pro. Police Products.” Based on a review of CBP records, ICE agents determined that two other packages labeled as “badges” had been shipped to the Bronx apartment since January 2005. Two other packages had been shipped to the apartment by the same shipper since May 2004, according to the criminal complaint.

ICE agents also seized a Beretta Cx4 semiautomatic rifle, a Glock 9mm handgun, a Browning .22 caliber pistol, a Hi-Point 9mm pistol, and a Winchester 1300 Defender shotgun. In addition, ICE agents seized several laser scopes for use with rifles; police hand-held radios and scanners; computers; $16,000 in U.S. currency, as well as marijuana and cocaine.

[aeolian]

1. Don't worry, Real ID will keep us all safe and warm.

:sarcasm:

[hector459]

2. A Russian can come here be arrested 30 times and still walk around free

after engaging in crimes that seriously compromise our security and three-time pot offenders get 30 years in jail? Explain this picture to me. It is a known fact that organized crime groups of Russians, Jews, and Asians operate almost at will within the US yet the only "criminals" and "gang members" we hear about are black or Hispanic. That's why this country is going to hell in a hand basket. The people who do us the most harm are always protected by the coporate crime syndicate.

[Historic NY]

3. In many cases these badges are resold to unsuspecting collectors

thats pay 4-5 times the value. Granted some might be used for criminal purposes, but given the lengths gone to duplicate these a real collector would be taken to the cleaners. This is not a first, there are legitimate collectors out there.

[rainbow4321]

4. Fake car plates out there, too. apparently

Did a google to see what else is out there on this story and it brought up a law enforcement message board that has a thread on the guy. They're kinda nervous about the fake badges...IMO, that fact that THEY are spooked kinda scares ME more than the original article did. Looks like at one point someone also had a fake diplomatic license plate. God knows what building area/parking lots THAT might get someone into.


http://www.911jobforums.com/vB/showthread.php3?t=44328

post #6

They hold him on only 50 g's? Oh puhleez....like he won't make that or skip the country?

I love the way things like this get downplayed, brushed under the rug. Hardly no one is carrying this on the news out here. Oh, you know, all those runaway bride stories are SOOO much more important.

This is just what they found, imagine what's still out there. Good reason to ask for creds and never take a badge at its face value - remember the post here from the one LEO about the faked diplomatic license plates. Scary. "Trust no one"....