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Sam Penrod ReportingUtah County authorities have arrested four men accused of making fake green cards and selling them. They say the cards were being distributed all over the country.
Police say they were tipped off when high quality counterfeit green cards started showing up in Utah County. Undercover officers got involved and were able to purchase several fake documents, such as social security cards, immigration documents and drivers licenses.
Officers served search warrants at three homes in Provo yesterday, where they seized a large volume of fake green cards, along with equipment used to produce them.
In the investigation, the cards were being sold for anywhere between 75 and 150 dollars. Those who bought them, who are in the country illegally, could then try to get a job. Investigators say the suspects surrendered when the search warrants were carried out and they recovered a lot of evidence in the raid.
Undercover Officer: "We really met no resistance, there was not violence, we found no weapons at any of the locations, just the computers, printers and scanners."
Officers arrested four men on charges of possession of false documents and fraudulent devices. They all face immigration charges as well. One of the men was deported in 2003 for similar crimes.
Investigators plan to follow the paper trail to other states form which police think the suspects may have been getting materials and know-how.
