Fake FBI, CIA, AFP badges prompt impersonation charge
Andrew Stafford |
Fake badges and identifications linked to the Australian Federal Police, the US Secret Service, the CIA and the FBI have led to charges against a former businessman.
An investigation began after a member of the public handed in a fake AFP badge and identification to Bondi police in Sydney on September 23.
Traces of cocaine were found on the identification, which led officers to the address of a 50-year-old man from Double Bay on Friday.
They found hats and T-shirts bearing AFP insignia and allegedly fraudulent badges and identification from a variety of law enforcement agencies and jurisdictions, including the US Secret Service, the CIA and the FBI.
Also seized were four replica firearms, 11 gel blasters, a large quantity of steroids and 14g of cocaine.
The man has been charged with one count of possessing prohibited firearms, one count of supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug and one count of impersonating a commonwealth public official.
He was expected to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Saturday and faces a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment for the impersonation charge.
The man has been described in other media reports as a property developer who was handed a two-year ban from managing corporations last year.
AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty said impersonating commonwealth officials and the potential misuse of police identification and insignia was a serious offence.
“Falsely representing yourself as any kind of law enforcement or commonwealth official poses a genuine danger to public safety,” he said.
AAP
