Zambian immigration authorities have smashed a major passport forgery syndicate linked to an international human trafficking network, seizing 372 travel documents and arresting seven suspects in a dramatic raid in Lusaka.
The Department of Immigration said the operation — carried out on August 8 — uncovered a stash of forged passports tied to both local and foreign nationals. Among those arrested are three Zambians, three Burundians, and a Congolese citizen from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The operation involved the production and use of fraudulent identity and travel documents to obtain visas and facilitate illegal movements of both Zambians and foreign nationals,” said immigration spokesperson Namati Nshinka.
Passports from across Africa and beyond
The seized cache included:
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212 Burundian passports
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44 Zambian passports
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20 Zambian refugee passports
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8 Rwandan passports
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7 Nigerian passports
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2 Cameroonian passports
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1 Bangladeshi passport
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1 Zimbabwean passport
Officials also confiscated ICT equipment and devices believed to have been used to produce the fake documents.
Zambia’s role in a wider trafficking web
Situated at the heart of southern Africa, Zambia is a key transit route for human trafficking networks moving people from the Horn of Africa to the south. Victims are often promised jobs or better opportunities — only to be trapped in exploitation, with forged travel papers easing their passage past border checks.
Manhunt for remaining suspect
Authorities say one suspect remains at large. Other Zambian security agencies have joined the investigation, which officials believe may expose a much wider cross-border syndicate.
The passport forgery ring is suspected of aiding not only human trafficking but also illegal visa acquisition and abuse of refugee documentation.
Government vows crackdown
The raid forms part of Zambia’s broader push to tighten border controls and dismantle syndicates preying on vulnerable migrants. Officials have urged the public to report suspicious activity linked to forged documents or trafficking networks.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities expect more arrests — and possibly international cooperation — to follow.
