VISAS ISSUED IN FAKE FILM SCAM
In Argo-style con, 26 men enter Ireland disguised as movie crew
A MAJOR Garda probe is under way into a scam in which a large group of Indian men gained entry to Ireland posing as a ‘fake film crew’ before fleeing to Britain.
In a case similar to hit movie Argo, which stars Ben Affleck, as many as 26 Indian men obtained work visas under false pretences to enter Ireland temporarily – but fled almost immediately. The Irish Daily Mail can reveal that
the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) has launched a major investigation into the matter.
The group of Indians, who later flew out of Cork Airport to Glasgow, have now ‘effectively disappeared’, it is understood.
The Indian nationals even ‘used’ a film production company based in the west of Ireland to help secure their work visas.
The film production company was ‘completely unaware’ that the Indian nationals were not filmmakers.
It is understood that gardaí have interviewed the Irish film company and do not believe it was in any way involved with the men in the abuse of the immigration system.
The Mail also understands that gardaí have established that the ‘facilitator’ who arranged the audacious scam is based in the Isle of Wight.
Detectives may now travel there to speak to the person who they believe ‘masterminded’ the immigration scam.
In recent weeks, another large
‘Like something out of the film Argo’
group of Indian men tried the same manoeuvre again, and attempted to fly into Dublin Airport, leaving Delhi in India, claiming to be a film crew.
However, their plan was foiled and the group were denied at immigration in Delhi as the GNIB had raised the matter with the Indian authorities.
Interpol and Europol have been alerted about the missing 26 men.
But sources say the men will now most likely ‘just remain disappeared’ and probably opt to live in the UK under false identities.
The case in Ireland has drawn comparisons with the 2012 blockbuster Argo.
In the award-winning film based on real-life events in 1980s Iran, Ben Affleck’s character is a CIA agent who poses as a Hollywood producer. In the film he trains refugees to act as his fake film crew in order to try and defuse a hostage situation involving US embassy staff in Tehran.
Security sources say the Indian men were ‘essentially economic migrants’ and there is ‘nothing to suggest’ at all that these men are involved in terrorism.
A senior source said: ‘This essentially was an elaborate scam.
‘These men have disappeared after they manipulated the immigration system. It was a clever and well-thought-out plan, securing work visas on the basis of coming over here to shoot a movie.
‘They duped everyone. Gardaí are wise to their scam now and they won’t get through again. We already stopped another large group. Gardaí suspect they have probably done this in other countries as well. Gardaí have established who the facilitator of the entire operation is.’
Another source said: ‘They would not be allowed just move to Ireland permanently obviously as they are not European citizens so they come up with scams like this.
‘Unfortunately, they could now well have made it very difficult for the next genuine group of foreign filmmakers who want to come here to shoot a movie.
‘The authorities will be sceptical after this.
‘It’s like something straight out of that movie Argo.
‘You would have to wonder if that was their inspiration.’