Document forgery ring busted in central province

By Duc Hung June 22, 2023 | 10:47 pm PT

Police in central Ha Tinh Province have taken in or placed under house arrest 24 people allegedly forging thousands of documents including driving licenses for VND20 billion (US$852,400).

Pham Van Manh at the police station in Ha Tinh Province, June 22, 2023. Photo by police

Pham Van Manh (L), ring leader of a document forgery ring, at a police station in Ha Tinh Province, June 22, 2023. Photo by Ha Tinh police

They face charges of "forging seals and/or documents of agencies and/or organizations."

Pham Van Manh, 41, has been identified as the ring leader.

The police said Manh learned how to forge documents in 2019 and bought equipment online to start his illegal business.

Counterfeit degrees made by the ring. Photo by police

Counterfeit high school diplomas made by Pham Van Manh's ring. Photo by Ha Tinh police

He advertised his services online, even claiming that all papers, including bachelor’s and high-school degrees, ID cards and driving licenses, would "look 100% authentic."

As the business kept growing, Manh recruited dozens of people to work for him.

He reportedly charged VND2 million for a document.