Thousands of forged credit cards, driver's licenses, transit passes, health cards and more were recovered by Peel police in an investigation that has broken an alleged counterfeiting ring in Mississauga.
The credit and identification cards seized were partially completed when police busted the operation in late December. On Thursday, police showed the many items recovered after they executed a search warrant at a Mississauga home.
The investigation, which was launched last year, was a joint effort between police and the Toronto Transit Commission.
"We all know that this type of thing, whether it's forged passes for the transit commission or other forged documents, it all impacts the public money," Det. Brian Wintermute said.
"So it's important that we all work together and do what we can to shut these types of operation down."
Also recovered by police were computers, printers, hot stamp presses, inks and other printing equipment.
Police said in a written statement that the seizures show "the sophistication involved in this type of forgery operation."
Hassan Jeeva, 23, is facing charges of:
- Possession of instruments for forging credit cards;
- Possession of forged credit cards;
- Possession of a counterfeit mark;
- Possession of credit card data;
- Possession of instruments for forging trademarks;
- Possession of instruments of forgery;
- Trafficking in credit card data; and
- Defrauding the public.
Police said their investigation into the case is continuing and they anticipate making more arrests.
They also thanked TTC Special Investigators for their "efforts and tenacity." Without the TTC's help, police said a large number of counterfeit credit and identification cards may have been put into circulation.
