Page 7 - BOSS Today Issue 42

NEWS BOSS Today #42

Reporting on the
recent events in the
office supplies industry

PROJECT GENESIUS

YIELDS FRUIT HARVEST

roject Genesius’, the anti-ID fraud ribbons, embossers and hot foil presses. Spanish passports and identity documents
‘Pcampaign that the Rubber Stamp Bolivian national Marcelo Alpire Alpire in various stages of manufacture, as well
Manufacturers’ Guild has been actively admitted the manufacture and supply of as £12,000 in cash. Officers also seized a
supporting the Metropolitan Police with counterfeit ID cards and passports and variety of items used in the manufacture of
over the last few years, has resulted in the was jailed for over three years, while co- fake documents, including passport covers,
successful conviction of a prolific forger conspirator Juan Carlos Guzman-Murillo cutting equipment, printers and computers
and his accomplice for running a criminal admitted involvement in distributing the on which thousands of photographs and
business making and supplying false documents and purchasing an ID card signatures had been stored.
passports and ID documents. printer for Alpire Alpire and was jailed for Assistant Director David Fairclough,
The convictions are the first achieved a year. from the CFI team, said: “Our
as a result of legislation introduced to The investigation began after investigation uncovered a lucrative
crack down on the threat of ID crime Immigration Enforcement officers commercial enterprise run by Alpire
and those who enable document forgers. recovered 18 fake passports during Alpire, who had set up what was
The ‘Specialist Printing Equipment and January and February 2018 which were effectively a passport production factory
Materials (Offences) Act’ has made it illegal forensically compared and in which at his home, churning out false IDs.
to knowingly supply printing equipment common distinguishing features were Anyone thinking of getting involved in
or materials for criminal use. These items identified. A search of Alpire Alpire’s home similar offences should be warned that
include identity card printers, printer address found dozens of counterfeit they will be caught and prosecuted.”

RSMG IMPRESSED BY CITY WEEKEND

Colin Cousins, current President of the RSMG, talks us through their 80th anniversary celebration Thames.

he Rubber Stamp Manufacturers’ Guild The remarkable surroundings of four course dinner on the Thames.
T(RSMG) celebrated its 80th anniversary Stationers’ Hall kindly donated by Jeff Overall, the RSMG directors and secretary
in style with a tremendous annual “Out-of- Whiteway on behalf of SPOT, was the chosen Liz Whyte had spent over a year organising
Town” weekend in London, which was this venue for that evening’s Gala Dinner, where the weekend, and the appreciative
year re-branded as “In-the-City”. the Guest of Honour was the Reverend comments made by many guests showed
Over 50 guests from the industry (some Richard Coles who, President Cousins that it had been a job well done.
travelling from the USA and Europe) arrived claimed, had played an unwitting part in his The RSMG was started by H R Clarke in
in the capital on the 14th September to own involvement in the industry back in April 1938 and then comprised of 32 member
attend an initial meeting chaired by the 1986. Nigel Eyre then presented the Lifetime companies. Today it exists to promote these
Guild’s newly-elected President, Colin Achievement Award to Andy Warmer from products to organisations and the general
Cousins of Stamps Direct. This included Colop UK, who originally started his stamp public and to offer support to its members.
an update from the Metropolitan Police career at Ludwigs back in 2002.
regarding a pending prosecution under a law Saturday was spent exploring the capital, For more information about the RSMG, contact Liz
recently passed with the help by the Guild. including a tour of Buckingham Palace and a Whyte, Liz@bossfederation.co.uk.

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