Builder with fake ID jailed for working illegally in UK
AN ALBANIAN man entered the UK illegally by using a fake Bulgarian passport and gained work as a builder by using a fake Italian ID.
Eduart Koka, 25, of Cardiff, arrived in the UK in 2016 on a flight from Dublin after making his way across Europe via Italy, Spain, and Ireland.
During his time in the country he earned more than £67,000 while working illegally in the construction industry while using fake documents to open bank accounts and get a National Insurance number. He was discovered after his mobile phone number was linked to the phone of others who had arrived in the UK without permission.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard Koka worked to support his family in Albania who were struggling financially due to the economic climate in his home country.
Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said investigations into the defendant’s phone number revealed links to a Federico D’Arienzo. It was later discovered this individual had opened a number of bank accounts using an Italian ID card. The number was also linked to an Uber account and an NHS BOSS account.
Production orders were made for the bank accounts in the name of Federico D’Arienzo which revealed regular payments from Bici Construction into the account. There was also £33,000 which had been paid into an NHS BOSS account.
On January 19, officers executed a search warrant at Koka’s address in Dogfield Street, Cathays, and a number of items were seized.
These including a Bulgarian passport and boarding pass in the name of Ferhad Salibryam Halibryam, an Italian ID card and employment documents in the name of Federico D’Arienzo, and an Albanian passport in the defendant’s name.
In his police interview Koka said he had been living in the UK for four years after arriving on Boxing Day 2016 having purchased the Bulgarian passport for €200.
The defendant later pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing false ID documents and working without permission to reside or work in the UK.
Defence barrister Stephen Thomas said his client came to the UK in order to send money back home to his family who were experiencing “extreme financial difficulties”.
He added: “Since coming to the UK the defendant has always worked and the majority of the money he earned was sent back to his family in Albania to support them.
“He has not come to the attention of the police in the UK and has lived a lawabiding and hardworking life.
“He did not come to the UK to cause trouble or commit crime – all he wanted to do was to provide financial support to his family.”
Recorder Bilal Siddique sentenced Koka to 12 months imprisonment and warned him he could face deportation as a result of his offending.