Report by Mohammed Olippilan from Kochi and K.M.Correspondent

Duplicate passport-Visa

Airport Police Arrest Gulf Passengers with fake passport

Nedumbassery : Cochin International Airport police have started a crackdown on illegal use of passport by passengers from various Gulf countries and at least two passengers from the Gulf countries arecaught daily for carrying duplicate or third person's passport.

A passenger from Doha --George Puzhakkal House, Vellangallore, Irinjalakkuda --was arrested for traveling with duplicate passport of Salam, Puthenveettil, Ernakulam. The passenger was caught by the Nedumbassery Airport police when he came by the Doha-Kochi Air India flight on March 7, 2002.

Similarly a passenger from Muscat to Kochi --Siddheek Moideen, Pidavoor House, Kothamangalam-- was caught red handed by the airport police for traveling with fake passport. was caught for traveling with the passport of Jamaluddin, Pangadu, Thiruvananthapuram. Sidheek was traveling by the Air India flight from Muscat to Kochi. It is reported that everyday at least two passengers are arrested at the Nedumbassery Airport for traveling with fake or duplicate passports. The visit visa racket has been thriving on the free use of passport owned by one passenger by another person using a technique called 'thalavettal", (behade). The drug mafia has also been using fake passports and travel documents for their carriers to various gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia.

On Saturday, about 30 Malayalis who traveled to the King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia were deported by the Saudi emigration authorities for carrying fake visa and other travel documents. These thirty passengers from Nilampoor, Malappuram and Vengoor were deported back to Bombay in the Gulf Air flight after the emigration authorities confirmed that their visa was fake. Several people are believed to be duped by a travel agent in Kerala.

There is a strong racket of fake passport and visa agents who bring innocent people on visit visa and cheat them. Immediately after arrival in the Gulf airports, they are asked to deposit their passport with the local agent, who will give the same same travel document to other illegal people who are waiting to go back to India. Only modification will be to change the photograph (above neck portion). Experts replace the neck portion of one photograph with the new passengers face. This practice is notoriously known as "Thalavettal". If you give Dhs. 4000, fake passport stamped with visa is available from agents. Since the gang members have connection to the local police who are working in the emigration section, these things are not detected in the Gulf airports.

Indians who commit crime and financial fraud in the Gulf countries use these fake documents to escape to India. Recently, a Malayali salesman who absconded with huge amount of money was caught by the Dubai police.

Following the LTTE connection reports, Kochi airport has been following stringgent and rigorous testing of passport carried by international passengers. 'I was asked to wait for about ten-fifteen minutes in the emigration counter. It seems that the passport is thoroughly checked before allowing the passengers to go inside. There were many other passengers waiting to get their passports after verification," explained Riyas V.A, from Alwaye who recently traveled from Kochi International Airport to Muscat. 'The security check is also very through as the security personnel remove even the shoes of the passenger,' he said. Three security staff in the airport check all items in the handbag allowed to be carried by the passengers. May be to avoid interaction with the Malayali speaking passengers, security personnel are from the North Indian states. (keralamonitor.com)