Swedish passports found traded on black market

[webfact]

Swedish passports found traded on black market
English.news.cn

STOCKHOLM, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Swedish passports are becoming "hard currency" on the black market, and over the last two years 177,000 valid Swedish passports in total were reported missing, local media reported on Saturday.

Each Swedish passport can be prized up to 80,000 Swedish kronor (about 12,200 U.S. dollars) on the black market. It is believed that the number of the actual missing Swedish passports is higher than what has been reported, said the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter (Dn).

Statistics from the National Police Board of Sweden show that 861 people have reported at least three passports missing over the last two years while two persons reported that they had lost 12 passports during the period.

It is reported that Swedish passports are common to be used in illegal activities such as human trafficking.

"We are convinced that the documents are also used in other organized crimes such as fraud and terrorism offence," Kerstin Hogback, police inspector with the Swedish National Bureau of Investigation, was quoted as saying by Dn.

Despite that, there is nothing much that can be done by the Swedish police so far, said Dn.

Swedish passports are considered as one of the passports that are most difficult to copy in the world after being modernized in 2012, but Sweden has poor control over the lost and stolen passports, which leads to that a Swedish passport could be used by people who have a similar look with the original owner, said Dn.

"We have very liberal rules in Sweden. Some other countries have tightened their rules and set higher requirements," Lars Bohle, head of travel documents with the National Police Board of Sweden, was quoted as saying by Dn.

Furthermore, to get a legal Swedish passport only costs 350 kronor (about 54 dollars), even for those who have lost their passports repeatedly.

A solution to the problem can be that Sweden introduce fingerprint in the passports ahead of the European Union.

Besides, it should also be investigated if it ought to be more difficult for people who have lost many passports to get a new one, said Dn.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-04/13/c_133257752.htm

-- Xinhua 2014-04-14

[Garry]

...last two years 177,000 valid Swedish passports in total were reported missing...

Whoa, that seems like a lot. I wonder how that figure equates to other countries?

[Chryzaliz]

"...but Sweden has poor control over the lost and stolen passports, which leads to that a Swedish passport could be used by people who have a similar look with the original owner, said Dn..."

And for sure, that's not swedish people, it's arabian people, african people, etc.

[oldsailor35]

"...but Sweden has poor control over the lost and stolen passports, which leads to that a Swedish passport could be used by people who have a similar look with the original owner, said Dn..."

And for sure, that's not swedish people, it's arabian people, african people, etc.

Yes these grubs of "so called" refugees will find any way possible to rob and cheat the very country who has given them a new safe home from what they have caused and created in their own country of origin. Pick them up and send the buggers back to where and what they came from.

[DoctorG]

How can you possibly "lose" 12 passports in 2 years?

[rickirs]

Missing Swedish passports sounds like a great money making scheme for Swedes. Two Swedes report 12 missing passports? Swedes can get unlimited passport replacements for $54 each and sell them for up to $12,000 each.

The Swedish government should at least use a graduated fee scale for replacement passports so that by the time one gets to the tenth replacement the cost is $15,000. Or that with each replacement there is another one-year waiting period before it can be used. The third replacement would have a three-year waiting period on top of the previous one-year and two-year wating periods.

I too have to wonder how often this scheme is being done by nationals of other countries. The UN might as well issue international passports to anyone who is a citizen of its member countries and take the money scam out of the equation.

[klauskunkel]

over the last two years while two persons reported that they had lost 12 passports during the period.

That's an average of three passports lost per year by the same person...

Sorry, government dude, lost it...again, and again, and again...

[Thaiready]

Missing Swedish passports sounds like a great money making scheme for Swedes. Two Swedes report 12 missing passports? Swedes can get unlimited passport replacements for $54 each and sell them for up to $12,000 each.

The Swedish government should at least use a graduated fee scale for replacement passports so that by the time one gets to the tenth replacement the cost is $15,000. Or that with each replacement there is another one-year waiting period before it can be used. The third replacement would have a three-year waiting period on top of the previous one-year and two-year wating periods.

I too have to wonder how often this scheme is being done by nationals of other countries. The UN might as well issue international passports to anyone who is a citizen of its member countries and take the money scam out of the equation.

And you think the UN is not a scammer... What boat did you get off..???

[Wat dee]

"...but Sweden has poor control over the lost and stolen passports, which leads to that a Swedish passport could be used by people who have a similar look with the original owner, said Dn..."

And for sure, that's not swedish people, it's arabian people, african people, etc.

Belief or not, not all Swedes have blue eyes and blond hair!

[Wat dee]

How can you possibly "lose" 12 passports in 2 years?

You sell em' !!

[Scott]

Troll post removed.

[bangon04]

"...but Sweden has poor control over the lost and stolen passports, which leads to that a Swedish passport could be used by people who have a similar look with the original owner, said Dn..."

And for sure, that's not swedish people, it's arabian people, african people, etc.

Belief or not, not all Swedes have blue eyes and blond hair!

and Sweden has a very liberal immigration and asylum policy compared to some others, so not surprising that this is so easy.... Otherwise the Russian passport would be the market leader, wouldn't it?

[larsjohnsson]

Some people go to the police in Sweden and report that their passport have been lost or stolen more than 20 times a year. They just pay 350 sek and get a new one. No limits for how nany times you can do it. Even if the police suspect/know that they sell it.

Edited April 14, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[koo]

Finnish passports already carry fingerprints, and it has been so for many years already. These fingerprints are also checked at certain airports, mine were checked at LCCT in Kuala Lumpur just a couple weeks back...

I guess there is far less demand for Finnish passports because of the biometrics?

[crazyguyinthailand]

Finnish passports already carry fingerprints, and it has been so for many years already. These fingerprints are also checked at certain airports, mine were checked at LCCT in Kuala Lumpur just a couple weeks back...

I guess there is far less demand for Finnish passports because of the biometrics?

Interesting. but I dont think they check those often. do they?Nice to see how the con men would come around that system.

[NanLaew]

"...but Sweden has poor control over the lost and stolen passports, which leads to that a Swedish passport could be used by people who have a similar look with the original owner, said Dn..."

And for sure, that's not swedish people, it's arabian people, african people, etc.

Yes these grubs of "so called" refugees will find any way possible to rob and cheat the very country who has given them a new safe home from what they have caused and created in their own country of origin. Pick them up and send the buggers back to where and what they came from.

I love it when the bigots come out with such inanities as, " They don't look Swedish", or "That's not a Swedish name."

Malou Hansson, born in 1983 in Järfälla, Uppland, Sweden, served as Miss Sweden in 2002.

[transam]

Looks like we will have to go to the finger print method.......................

[belg]

and off course, nobody can investigate those people for losing over & over & over again ... what about cancelling the missing passports? too easy, right ?

oh yes, and then you would need border control to use interpol's database...nahhh, too much work

sanuk sanuk

[larsjohnsson]

and off course, nobody can investigate those people for losing over & over & over again ... what about cancelling the missing passports? too easy, right ?

oh yes, and then you would need border control to use interpol's database...nahhh, too much work

sanuk sanuk

If someone say their passport is lost or stolen. Then it's impossible to prove they just cheat.

They do cancel every passport lost or stolen. But they don't check those faked passport very carefully at the airports

Edited April 15, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[Somtamnication]

Dang. I was only offered 50k baht for my UK passport. UK should follow other european countries.