Two Tongans appeared in court this morning in connection to passport fraud investigation conducted by a Police taskforce.
A 44 year-old man from Kolofoʻou was charged with forgery and false declaration.
A 54 year-old man from Tofoa has been charged with forgery and knowingly dealing with forged documents.
They appeared at the Fasi Magistrate Court and were remanded on bail to reappear in court on Monday 20.
The arrests brought the total of those arrested to 23 since the investigation began on August 25, 2015 in which 12 had been convicted.
The head of the Passport Taskforce, Deputy Police Commissioner Viliami ʻUnga Faʻaoa said, “The investigation of passport fraud is taken very seriously. We are taking a zero tolerance approach to reports of passport fraud and putting accused persons before the courts.”
“The Passport Taskforce is working closely with the Ministry of Justice, Tonga Immigration, National Identity Cards Office and the Ministry of Health in combating crimes of identity fraud”.
Ne hā ʻi he fakamaauʻangá he pongipongí ni ha ongo Tonga fekauʻaki mo e fakatotolo ʻa ha vaʻa makahe ʻa e kau Polisí ki ha ngāue kākā ki he paasipōtí.
Kuo fakaʻilo ha tangata taʻu 44 mei Kolofoʻou ki he hia ko e tohinima kākā mo e fai ʻo ha fakamatala fuakava loi.
Kuo fakaʻilo mo ha tangata taʻu 54 mei Tofoa ki he tohinima loi mo e fai ʻi he ʻiloʻilopau ne ne ngāueʻaki ha ngaahi tokiumeni ne tohinima loiʻi.
Ne na hā ʻi he Fakamaauʻanga Polisi ʻi Fasí pea kuo maluʻi kinaua ki tuʻa ke na toe hā ʻi he fakamaauʻangá ʻi he ʻaho 20.
Ko e toko 23 ʻaki ʻeni ʻo kinautolu kuo puke ʻi he fakatotoló ni ʻa ia ne kamata mai ʻi ʻAokosi ʻaho 25, 2015 pea ko e toko 12 ai kuo ʻosi tauteaʻi.