New Zealand is reviewing its passport security. Herald File Picture

New Zealand is reviewing its passport security. Herald File Picture

By BRIDGET CARTER, REBECCA WALSH and NZPA

Eleven fake New Zealand passports seized in Bangkok may be linked to al Qaeda terrorists and human traffickers in Europe, say Thai police.

A sting operation by police netted a Thai man and a Pakistani man for allegedly producing forged passports, says the Bangkok Post newspaper.

Crime Suppression Division commander Kosin Hinthao said New Zealand police had identified the passport identification numbers as similar to those used by human traffickers and al Qaeda terrorists in Europe.

"Many terrorists arrested earlier in Europe had travelled to several nations carrying fake passports with such serial numbers," Major-General Kosin said.

New Zealand's police liaison officer in Bangkok, Mike Bush, told the Herald last night that an investigation was being made.

He could not comment on any link with al Qaeda.

Mr Bush said he became aware that false New Zealand and other national passports were available in Bangkok, and carried out two operations in conjunction with Thai police.

He said the sting operations had taken the false passports off the streets.

"I know today there is no way you could buy a false New Zealand passport in Bangkok and no one would sell them," he said.

"They are what you call "too hot" after these two operations."

The two men arrested this week were both central to the black-market operation, but they were not alone, said Mr Bush.

New Zealand is reviewing its passport security after two Israeli men were arrested here for fraudulently trying to obtain New Zealand passports.

The Thai discovery followed the detention a month ago of a Pakistani who was found with fake New Zealand passports.

New Zealand passports are valuable to criminal gangs because the country has a low profile, the passports are high-quality and New Zealand has visa-free status with a number of countries.

The faked passports all had serial numbers beginning with N379.


In the sting operation, the two men allegedly tried to sell fake passports to plainclothes police at an apartment.

They were arrested with 23 fake passports.