UNCLAS MUMBAI 000446

SIPDIS

DS/CR/OCI FOR JOHN AYBAR
DS/CR/VPAU FOR TIM LONGANACRE AND YVETTE COLMAN
CA/FPP FOR JILL NYSTROM, DHS FOR CIS/FDNS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS CPAS CMGT ASEC IN KFRD
SUBJECT: MUMBAI POLICE UNIT EFFECTIVE IN ANTI SMUGGLING ENFORCEMENT


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Working in cooperation with the newly created
Mumbai Police Crime Branch Anti Human Trafficking and Smuggling
Cell (AHTSC), Mumbai ARSOI successfully pursued the arrest of 12
suspects since February in an ongoing human smuggling network
involving Air India employees. Reference DS Case VF-2009-00156,
and ARSO-I Mumbai IIRs dated 09/10/2009, 03/05/2009, and
11/03/2009. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) The investigation began with the discovery that two
Air India employees were recruited by agents into a scheme
whereby they used their real wives' identities and passports
(photo-substituted) to apply for and obtain U.S. visas for
imposter wives, who they then successfully smuggled into the
United States. The two employees were subsequently arrested on
February 25, 2009. Since then, Mumbai Crime Branch has made a
succession of arrests in this case, including the agents and
several accomplices.


3. (SBU) Four travelers, who used their wives' altered passports
to obtain U.S. visas and smuggle women into the United States,
have had their B1/B2 visas revoked under INA 212(A)(6)(E) for
Human Smuggling. The B1/B2 Visas issued to their false spouses
have been identified for prudential revocation. Police
investigation indicates true spouses were not complicit in the
scheme, and no P6E lookout will be entered in addition to the
revocation. CLASS lookouts P6C for misrepresentation of identity
have been entered for the four imposter wives. Seven agents and
recruiters have had their visas revoked 6E for human smuggling,
and one forger has had a P6E lookout placed on his identity.


4. (SBU) AHTSC Police officers offered Mumbai ARSO-I and FSN-I
the opportunity to interview the incarcerated passport fixers.
The forger demonstrated how they removed the lamination from the
biographical data page of legitimately obtained Indian
passports, altered it, used a metal die to recreate the texture
of the lamination, and re-stitched the books. Their cache of 46
passports recovered during the arrest of the first agent in
March generated additional leads. Joint investigation by ARSO-I
and Mumbai Crime Branch of the passports revealed several
additional individuals who had been issued U.S. visas, with
imposters posing as their wives.


5. (SBU) COMMENT. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch created the
Anti Human Trafficking and Smuggling Cell (AHTSC) this year in
response to a spirit of cooperation and encouragement from
Mumbai ARSO-I. Cooperative investigations like the Air India
case have fueled the project with positive press and a record of
successes. ARSO-I Mumbai looks forward to future cooperation
with the AHTSC in combating visa fraud. END COMMENT.

FOLMSBEE