A man who allegedly forged documents and used Brad Pitt fake IDs to impress potential customers has been held in Spain on a European Arrest Warrant.
Documents bearing the Hollywood actor’s name and face the suspect is said to have used as promotional material, were seized by detectives during a raid on his Costa del Sol ‘crime HQ’.
Spanish police say they suspect he entered the country using a latex mask to fool biometric border controls after escaping a court cell last summer in his native Latvia in his underpants through a secret door.
Read More : Dad 'ecstatic' to have baby triplets home in Ireland after 'devastating' debacle
Today it was claimed the unnamed man was also wanted for questioning in Poland for allegedly helping an organised crime gang smuggle illegal migrants into Ireland.
Investigators have described his fake documents as “practically undetectable.”
Details of the astonishing case were revealed today as Spanish police confirmed he had used more than 25 fake identities thanks to the forged documents he allegedly created.
Reports in Spain say he was paying maintenance to several women he had fathered children with, in Latvia as well as Germany and China.
Latvian police chief Maris Priednieks said he had honed his forgery skills on YouTube.
Manuel Arias, chief inspector of a Spanish National Police unit combatting document fraud, added of the forgeries which included ID cards and driving licences from several European countries as well as Covid passports and incapacity certificates: “We have never seen anything of such great quality.
“The forgeries were almost undetectable.”
Confirming the arrest following a joint operation with police in Latvia and Spanish Customs officials, a Spanish National Police spokesman said: “A sophisticated laboratory which allegedly produced false documents distributed around the world has been dismantled in Benalmadena in the province of Malaga.
“The alleged head of the lab, one of two people arrested as part of the operation, had previously been held in his homeland of Latvia on suspicion of leading a criminal organisation specialising in the same illegal activity.
“A European Arrest Warrant had been issued against him and he had managed to set himself up in Spain.
“One of the objects discovered during one of three searches carried out was a latex face mask that could have been used by this individual to fool biometric border controls and reach Spain without being detected.”
Confirming the investigation to track him in Spain began in June after police received a tip-off from colleagues in Latvia they believed he had managed to enter the country, the spokesman said: “Officers were able to confirm he had managed to reach Benalmadena and was receiving logistical help from at least two other people and continuing with the same activities of creating false documents and distributing them that had led to his arrest in his homeland.
“In co-operation with Spanish customs officers, we were able to intercept a parcel the suspect had sent to France with a forged ID card.
“It has been established he has himself used more than 25 different identities thanks to the fake documents he allegedly created.
“As well as the latex mask, machinery used to falsify documents has been seized during searches at two residential properties and a storeroom in Benalmadena as well as €10,150 in cash and 86 falsified documents including several with the face of the chief suspect but different names and nationalities.”
The Brad Pitt test documents were also among the material seized.
The unnamed man is now expected to face extradition to Latvia, although he is also set to face charges and probable prosecution in Poland at a later date over the alleged people smuggling operation.
Spanish press are reporting he fled his homeland in pants and a vest after being taken to court by police but managing to escape custody through a “door no-one knew existed.”
Respected Malaga-based paper Sur said: “He apparently had several families, with women and children, in China, Germany and Latvia.
“Whatever he had told his wives about his life, he never failed them economically.”
One of the two people said to have been assisting him on the Costa del Sol has been described as his “fourth wife” who is reportedly the second person that was arrested.
Police are investigating whether he used morphing to perfect his forgeries, which involves the use of computer animation techniques to change smoothly from one image to another by small gradual steps and is employed as a special effect in films.
Mr Priednieks told Spanish daily El Pais: “He is a very original and social person. He manages to get everyone to help him.”
READ NEXT :
'My sister says the little town is broken' - devastated Shay Given's Creeslough connection
Ryanair passengers urged to check in well in advance or risk airport fines
Ronan Keating says his ‘heart is broken’ as he says goodbye to daughter Missy
Fat Freddie Thompson’s ex-father-in-law tries to get PS4 theft case thrown out
Irish Love Island star opens up about 'insane' requests for sex tapes from fans
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
