An alleged Iranian army deserter ‘asylum seeker’ and his brother set up a sophisticated forgery factory and created scores of counterfeit identification cards for illegal immigrants.

Aren Nakshbandi, aged 32, and Seyyed Babashahabi, aged 34, have been jailed for 27 months following the discovery of 52 bogus Asylum Seeker Registration (ASR) cards.

They were found at failed asylum seeker Nakshbandi‘s former address in Kendrew Road, Deane, Bolton, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Nakshbandi has been in Britain for nine years, fleeing to the UK after claiming to have deserted from the Iranian army.

Police arrested him on August 1 last year after a support worker from Bolton Council visited his home and found the counterfeit cards, which were in various stages of manufacture, in a bedroom drawer.

Officers found laminates and adhesive paper the same size as the cards. They also seized a computer and laminating machine, a magnifying glass, an ink stamp with “Home Office” written on it, 29 blank ID cards and A4 paper with the words “Employment Permitted” written on it.

Police also carried out a search of Babashahabi’s home in Maltby Drive, Enfield, London, on November 25, 2007, and arrested him at his address.