Students in fake driver's licence scam

Hundreds of Auckland school pupils understood to have obtained forged driver's licences are being urged to hand in the fake documents, police said today.

Police launched an investigation after five students were arrested over the past month for using plausible-looking licences that gave them a false age over 18.

Detective Sergeant James Watson said the arrests represented an upsurge in the fake licences and inquiries were begun to find the source.

The investigation led to the arrest last week of 17-year-old Cambodian student Marcus Lim, who was charged with forgery.

Lim appeared in North Shore District Court and was remanded on bail until November 30.

Mr Watson said Lim's computer, which was seized, contained a database of hundreds of names of people understood to have received a forged licence.

"We are encouraging them to come to their local police station or to contact the investigation team in order to hand the document over," he said.

"It is illegal to use a forged document for any purpose."

Over the past week, police had located several dozen of those who paid $100 for a forged licence.

Almost all were 16 and 17-year-olds from 15 Auckland schools.

Mr Watson said those who were fully cooperative and whose only intention was to use the forgery to buy alcohol or enter bars or clubs were formally cautioned.

"Those who are uncooperative or who have perhaps more sinister motives are still being investigated with a view to prosecution."

- NZPA