Dismantling a large-scale counterfeit seal and document ring

In just about 1 month, the subjects in the ring produced, sold and delivered to customers via postal services more than 5,000 fake diplomas, certificates and documents (university degrees, IT certificates, foreign languages, practice certificates, driver's licenses of all kinds, health certificates...), illegally collecting more than 2 billion VND.

The subjects were arrested in the gang.

Specifically, on the morning of November 10, in Bach Long commune, Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province, the Task Force caught red-handed two subjects, Tran Van Hanh (born in 1994, permanent residence: Giao Yen commune, Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province) and Hoang Van Nguyen (born in 2000, permanent residence: Bach Long commune, Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province) organizing the forgery of documents of agencies and organizations.

At the scene, the authorities seized hundreds of fake diplomas, certificates, and documents and thousands of blanks used to produce fake documents; 3 sets of computers; 2 color printers; 5 smartphones and laminating machines, 9 ink cartridges of various colors, thousands of suspected anti-counterfeit stamps, customer records, etc.

Through quick investigation of the subjects, the authorities summoned two other subjects: Nguyen Trong Tai (born in 1989, permanent resident of Giao Yen commune); Nguyen Van Toan (born in 1989, permanent resident of Bach Long commune, Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province). Initially, the subjects admitted to their crimes.

Tools and means used by subjects to make fake documents.

The modus operandi of this criminal ring is as follows: The group of subjects who advertise and sell mainly on social networking spaces (google, facebook, tiktok...) use tricks to entice people in need of degrees with advertisements that they do not need to pass the exam, commit to real forms, real degrees... to appeal to the psychology of many people who do not want to spend time studying and taking exams but still have a real degree. After the advertising group receives an order, they send customer information (photo, full name, date of birth, hometown and required documents) to the production group so that the subjects can proceed to produce according to the order.

Next, the subjects, through postal and cash-on-delivery businesses (Ship COD), deliver the goods to customers. To deal with the authorities and delivery companies, they often do not directly send the goods to the delivery company but hire service vehicles (motorbike taxis, grab, etc.); at the same time, when declaring the goods, they write that they are foreign language courses, insurance contracts, etc.

Evidence seized by police.

Previously, the Internal Political Security Department coordinated with the Hanoi City Police to dismantle a ring with similar illegal activities, prosecuted 12 defendants for "Crime of forging and using seals and documents of agencies and organizations", stipulated in Article 341 of the Penal Code; seized many fake seals (of several ministries: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Health, Department of Transport, general hospitals, schools in 63 provinces and cities...) along with vehicles, machinery and thousands of completed fake documents.

Side door, the subjects opened to escape.

The Internal Political Security Department recommends that people absolutely do not order or use these types of fake documents because if they use these types of documents, they will be handled according to the provisions of the law, and may even be criminally prosecuted for using fake seals and documents of agencies and organizations.