Warning over forged driving licences

Drivers in Waikato have been warned to stay clear of forged driver's licences after two teenagers were arrested in Hamilton.

Police said the two 17-year-olds were part of a sophisticated crime ring making forged driver's licences on a scale never before seen in the Waikato district.

Police warned people possessing forced licences they risked serious repercussions if they were caught.

The two teenagers were arrested last Friday and Monday.

Senior Sergeant Greg Dunn said the pair had an array of computers, laminators, scanners and printers.

"The group had imported dyes, papers and a specialist stamp that replicated the New Zealand Government watermark on the licences.

"They then produced what we estimate to be about 60 driver's licences which they allegedly on-sold, to recoup the cost of their equipment, to associates for prices varying between $30 and $60."

Police were alerted to the ring in May by Hamilton bar security staff.

"The unravelling of this ring is down, in a large part, to the strength of the City's Alcohol Accord where the partners work closely with the police's alcohol harm reduction team to make Hamilton a safe, vibrant place to have a good time, legally."

Mr Dunn said more arrests were expected.

He said the forgeries were used to gain access to bars and police knew of one case where a forgery was presented by a 15-year-old to buy cigarettes.

"People need to know the serious stakes they're playing for here. The maximum penalty for a person using a forged document is 10 years imprisonment, not to mention the difficulty someone would have trying to enter another country with a history of using forged identification."

Mr Dunn said anyone with a forged licence should contact Constable Murray MacDonald to surrender the documents before they were caught by police.

- NZPA