Australian police bust bogus international driver licences

In one 24-hour period, three motorists have been busted with fake driver licences – and they now face an immigration visa review.

Three motorists have been convicted in court and will face a visa review by the Department of Immigration after being caught behind the wheel with fake driving licences in NSW.

All three drivers were busted in the remote NSW town of Griffith driving Victorian-registered vehicles within a 24-hour period.

One of the convicted men allegedly told police: “My friend made this for me, so I can drive in Australia,” after producing a fake Malaysian driver’s licence.

Although the offences occurred three months ago they have only just now come to light after details of the bust were posted on the NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Facebook page.

Police said the first driver was stopped in a Victorian-registered Holden Cruze for roadside testing and a licence check, which revealed a Malaysian licence that upon inspection appeared to be fake.

“Checks on the official portal of Road Transport Department Malaysia revealed he only held a motorcycle class of licence, which expired in 2005,” police said. 

“Further checks revealed that (the motorist) had never held any class of licence in any Australian state or territory. The Department of Immigration was contacted, which revealed he had been residing in Australia on a bridging Visa for the past six years.”

Less than a day later, two other Malaysian men travelling in separate vehicles – a Toyota Tarago van and a Nissan X-Trail SUV – were stopped and also discovered to have fake Malaysian driver licences.

Similar police checks with the Road Transport Department Malaysia revealed both drivers have never held a licence, and further checks showed neither held any class of licence in any Australian state or territory.

All three men were convicted at Griffith Local Court on two charges: possess false document to influence / exercise public duty, and never-licenced person drive vehicle on road – first offence.

Police said all three men had been living in Australia using bridging visas and their details have now been passed to the Department of Immigration for a review of their visa status.

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