Dutch man arrested over fake passport

Dutch man arrested over fake passport

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): A Dutch national was arrested
on Thursday for using a fake passport to live in Makassar for two
years, an Immigration official said here on Friday.

The man, identified as Frans Hubert Wessel, is now in the
custody of the Makassar Immigration Office, the head of the
supervision department at Makassar Immigration, Rustanto, said.

"The immigration officers arrested him when he was about to
apply for a new passport."

"He admitted a Makassar Immigration official helped him obtain
the (fake) passport when he arrived here for the first time two
years ago," said Rustanto.

Rustanto said suspicion to the originality of Wessel's
passport was raised in November of last year when the Dutch man
applied for a new passport.

"His address is Batu, Malang, East Java in the passport, while
many people know he lives in the Mattoanging subdistrict in
Makassar, and is known as Frans Stefanus".

"The Batu, Malang, Immigration Office informed us that Wessel
had financial problems in his country, and confirmed that the man
did not live in Batu."

According to Rustanto, he has identified the official who
helped Wessel obtain the fake passport. "We will have him
transferred and demoted." (27/sur)