Authorities in Mozambique have arrested a man accused of forging hundreds of official documents, including dozens of visa applications for India, in what investigators describe as a large-scale fraud scheme.
The suspect was detained at his home in the Malhangalene neighborhood of Maputo, according to Serviço Nacional de Investigação Criminal (Sernic) spokesperson João Adriano.
Police say the man, identified as a Mozambican of Asian origin, was producing documents typically issued by state institutions. These included birth certificates, identity cards, bank cards, passports, and other official records.
During the operation, authorities seized a large number of items, including 50 birth certificates, 200 passport application receipts, three infant health cards, three checkbooks, 40 visa applications for India, 150 payment receipts linked to the Indian embassy, and a driver’s license from Eswatini.
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“These documents cannot be obtained in private residences or from individuals,” the Sernic spokesperson said during a press conference.
Investigators believe the operation may have involved accomplices within public institutions responsible for issuing such documents. Authorities are continuing efforts to identify and locate other suspects connected to the scheme.
There is also evidence suggesting that some of the forged documents were produced outside the suspect’s residence, pointing to a broader network.
