By Roy Denish.
Police uncover a fake certificate racket in Gampaha, seizing forged degrees, official seals and equipment from a rented house.
GAMPAHA — Police have arrested a 27-year-old man after raiding a rented house in Imbulgoda, Gampaha, allegedly used to produce fake degree certificates, official documents and institutional seals on a large scale.
The raid was carried out at a property on Rajasinghe Mawatha following information received by the Gampaha Intelligence Division. Officers investigated the tip before alerting the officer-in-charge of the Yakkala Police Station, which subsequently conducted the operation.
Police identified the suspect as a 27-year-old man from Tangalle. Investigators said he had allegedly been operating the document-forging business from the rented property, for which he was paying Rs. 35,000 a month.
Officers seized two laptops, two smartphones, a colour printer, 35 suspected forged certificates, 51 seals purportedly belonging to heads of institutions and three embossing seals during the raid.
Police said the operation had allegedly produced seals, letterheads and other documentation associated with universities, government agencies, private institutions and banks.
Among the institutions whose names or seals were allegedly reproduced were the Inland Revenue Department, the Department of Examinations, a private bank and several state and private universities.
The universities included Peradeniya, Sri Jayewardenepura, Kelaniya, Moratuwa, Ruhuna, Rajarata, Wayamba and Uva Wellassa.
Investigators believe the operation had been running for approximately a year.
According to police, ordinary forged certificates were allegedly sold for between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 50,000. Documents intended for use in countries such as Japan were reportedly sold for as much as Rs. 400,000.
Authorities further said the suspect had claimed that approximately 200 people had travelled overseas using forged documents produced through the operation. Police have not independently disclosed details of those individuals or confirmed how many documents were successfully used to enter foreign countries.
Yakkala Police are continuing investigations into the alleged racket, including the production and distribution of forged documents and the possible involvement of other individuals.
Police said steps were also being taken to produce the suspect before court.
