Journalist arrested for forging passports

MEDAN, North Sumatra: A journalist was among seven people recently arrested for allegedly printing fake passports for prospective migrant workers.

Police said the journalist, identified as Mukhlis Nasution, had helped distribute the fake passports.

Chief detective of general crimes Adj. Sr. Comr. Arman Depari said Saturday the group was led by Yusril Darus, a middleman who offered passport application services to a number of labor exporting companies. Yusril charged Rp 1 million for each passport.

The bogus passport makers were arrested during separate raids on Thursday and Friday.

The police seized a computer, three typewriters, bogus stamps of government institutions and documents required to apply for a passport. -- JP