More than 1,700 fake driver’s licenses seized at O’Hare Airport

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Federal agents at O'Hare Airport have seized more than 1,700 counterfeit driver's licenses so far this year, including many shipped inside electronics or other gift items and addressed to college students.

Federal agents at O’Hare Airport have seized more than 1,700 counterfeit driver’s licenses so far this year, including many shipped inside electronics or other gift items and addressed to college students.

Customs and Border Protection officers working at the International Mail Facility at O’Hare Airport have seized the counterfeit state licenses, which were apparently ordered online and were arriving from China, according to a release from CBP.

The licenses are high-quality counterfeits of IDs for the states of Illinois, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania. The majority were addressed to college students across the country, and federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are investigating some of the intended recipients, the release said.

“Our greatest concern is the ease with which these high-quality fakes can be ordered over the Internet,” David Murphy, CBP director of field operations in Chicago, said in the release. “CBP will continue to work closely with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to ensure the security of our nation and assist in ongoing investigations or prosecutions.”

So far this year, CBP officers have seized shipments ranging from two driver’s licenses to 48 in various concealment methods, the release said. In some cases, the counterfeits were shipped in envelopes, while in others they were hidden in shipments of various electronic and gift items.