Five men have been sentenced after police uncovered a fake bank and credit card factory in Holloway, London.
Officers from the Met’s Falcon (Fraud and Linked Crime Online) Taskforce Unit were alerted to the fraudulent activity after receiving information that false bank and credit cards being used and supplied across mainland Europe were linked to a particular UK phone number.
Detectives arrested Gabriel Yew after raiding an address in London where they found thousands of blank cards as well as several printing and embossing machines. At his home in Hornsey Road they found more blank cards and printing machines linked to the production of false documents, as well as almost £5,000 in cash and two stun guns disguised as torches. Officers also discovered high-value goods including luxury handbags and watches.
Yew was was sentenced to five years and six months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to the charges at Blackfriars Crown Court.
Four other individuals found to be in possession of false ID documents and bank cards in other names were also sentenced.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Gould, from Falcon, says: "Gabriel Yew supplied fake credit cards in bulk for criminals all over London. The excellent and painstaking detective work of the Metropolitan Police's Falcon Taskforce identified Yew and his card factory then gathered sufficient high quality evidence to convict these defendants at court."