Officials from the Federal Criminal Police Office investigated a suspect and seized 81 fake police ID cards, 50,000 euros in counterfeit money and numerous weapons
Vienna (OTS) – In April 2023, the Vienna Post customs office in Inzersdorf reported to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BK) that a suspicious mail item from the USA had been found. The shipment, addressed to an address in Vienna, contained five forged police ID cards. Investigations were initiated in the BK by employees of the counterfeiting crime department (counterfeiting of money and documents) and a 44-year-old German citizen who lived in Vienna-Favoriten was investigated. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said on the occasion of the success of the investigation: “Thanks to the rapid and coordinated intervention, but above all thanks to the close cooperation with the customs authorities, it was possible to prevent the misuse of service ID cards – this success of the police was only possible through consistent and professional investigative work”.
Finance Minister Magnus Brunner emphasized: “Our customs officers also do extremely valuable work when it comes to checking postal items and achieve such success thanks to their experience and professionalism. Attacks like this show that the use of customs protects both our businesses and our citizens from fraud and harm.”
House search with numerous seizures
The public prosecutor’s office in Vienna ordered a house search at the suspect’s address, during which numerous items were seized. Among them were 81 fake police ID cards, six other fake photo ID cards and counterfeit money worth €50,000. Eleven alarm pistols, steel rods, 21 pepper sprays and other items similar to police equipment worth almost 15,000 euros were also found. The 44-year-old did not admit that he wanted to use the ID cards. He was released by order of the Krems public prosecutor’s office.
Acquiring fake IDs is usually the start of criminal activity
There is an increasing incidence of counterfeiting. These often represent the start of criminal activities. It is therefore particularly important to identify counterfeits early on and to take the counterfeit objects and perpetrators out of circulation. In this way, further crimes can be prevented. Andreas Holzer, Director of the Federal Criminal Police Office, emphasized: “Rapid and efficient action is the be-all and end-all of criminal police work, only then can we prevent crimes. Here, too, numerous forgeries, from money to official ID cards, could be taken out of circulation before they were used.”
Close cooperation with the customs authorities
In many cases, indications or initial checks and discoveries are made by the Austrian customs authorities of the Federal Ministry of Finance. Years of cooperation with the police and their constant further development regularly leads to successful investigations.
Success for the new counterfeiting crime department in the BK
In January 2023, the Office for Counterfeiting in the BK was expanded to include the field of “operative document forgery”, initially during trial operation. The newly created counterfeiting crime department (counterfeiting of money and documents) in the BK is therefore also the point of contact for cooperation with national and international authorities in this area.
Questions & contact:
Federal Criminal Police Office
Heinz Holub-Friedreich, BA
Press and Public Relations Office
+43 664 264 03 55
bk.presse@bmi.gv.at
www.bundeskriminalamt.at
