N. A. Corbier
11-20-2005, 08:26 PM
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Federal agents arrested a man on Monday, charging him with possessing and selling more than 1,300 counterfeit badges representing 35 law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency said.
The counterfeits are "very, very good," said Special Agent in Charge Martin Ficke, who added that nine out of 10 would "pass scrutiny."
The phony badges mimic real badges from agencies such as the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Customs, Drug Enforcement Agency, Treasury and New York Police Department, Ficke said. Some even had a signature from the company that makes the real badges.
"For someone to have that in their possession and utilize it to identify themselves as law enforcement could be devastating to security, particularly homeland security," Ficke said.
Officials said the badges were shipped from Taiwan to San Francisco, California, and were discovered by a customs agent who then contacted Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency officials in New York.
Posing as a DHL courier, a federal agent delivered the package to the Bronx apartment of Sergio Khorosh, a Russian who is a permanent U.S. resident, the agency said. After he signed for the package, U.S. Marshals served a search warrant.
Along with the badges, they seized two NYPD police uniforms, two-way radios and six firearms, including a Glock 9 mm handgun, a Beretta semiautomatic rifle and a Winchester shotgun, the agency said. Agents also confiscated a used casing from a shoulder-fired missile.
Federal agents are searching computer files seized from Khorosh to try and determine who might have bought the badges, which sold for $35 to $50, the agency said.
Khorosh was arraigned Monday night, agency officials said. He is scheduled to be back in New York Southern District court May 23, officials said.
Most security officers/guards feel a need to blindly acquiesce to any person who displays an official looking law enforcement badge. Some do it because they were taught, "Obey the police," some do it out of fear of arrest, others do it because they feel that the police automatically do a better job than the security officer can.
Several times, I have had persons flashing a badge at me, while attempting to interfere in whatever lawful activity I was undertaking. This usually was due to their view that "security shouldn't accost people," or because the person that was being removed/detained/questioned was an acquientance.
It is imperative that you, as an armed professional, never let your guard down because someone flashes a badge at you. If the holder of that badge is invoking offiical authority, they should be prepared for that authority to be verified. Ask to see not only the badge, but also the photo identification that goes along with it.
I do not know of a law enforcement agency that does not issue photo identification to all sworn employees. Just as, in most cases, your state requires you to have an identification card showing you are an employee of your company, so must the police officer.
If you encounter resistance, know that this person is not a police officer to the reasonable man. They have shown you a badge without allowing inspection (It could be a security badge, or one of those CCW badges, or a fake PD badge), and are refusing to properly identify themselves. Summon law enforcement immediately, and take steps to protect yourself from this person if they become physical.
When I flew cross-country in October, 2001, I carried my company crediential case on me. Throughout the process, in multiple airports, of getting from point A to point B, screeners thought I was a law enforcement officer, merely because I placed my credential case with badge in the bin for X-Ray. They did not stop to look. Don't be like them.
The counterfeits are "very, very good," said Special Agent in Charge Martin Ficke, who added that nine out of 10 would "pass scrutiny."
The phony badges mimic real badges from agencies such as the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Customs, Drug Enforcement Agency, Treasury and New York Police Department, Ficke said. Some even had a signature from the company that makes the real badges.
"For someone to have that in their possession and utilize it to identify themselves as law enforcement could be devastating to security, particularly homeland security," Ficke said.
Officials said the badges were shipped from Taiwan to San Francisco, California, and were discovered by a customs agent who then contacted Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency officials in New York.
Posing as a DHL courier, a federal agent delivered the package to the Bronx apartment of Sergio Khorosh, a Russian who is a permanent U.S. resident, the agency said. After he signed for the package, U.S. Marshals served a search warrant.
Along with the badges, they seized two NYPD police uniforms, two-way radios and six firearms, including a Glock 9 mm handgun, a Beretta semiautomatic rifle and a Winchester shotgun, the agency said. Agents also confiscated a used casing from a shoulder-fired missile.
Federal agents are searching computer files seized from Khorosh to try and determine who might have bought the badges, which sold for $35 to $50, the agency said.
Khorosh was arraigned Monday night, agency officials said. He is scheduled to be back in New York Southern District court May 23, officials said.
Most security officers/guards feel a need to blindly acquiesce to any person who displays an official looking law enforcement badge. Some do it because they were taught, "Obey the police," some do it out of fear of arrest, others do it because they feel that the police automatically do a better job than the security officer can.
Several times, I have had persons flashing a badge at me, while attempting to interfere in whatever lawful activity I was undertaking. This usually was due to their view that "security shouldn't accost people," or because the person that was being removed/detained/questioned was an acquientance.
It is imperative that you, as an armed professional, never let your guard down because someone flashes a badge at you. If the holder of that badge is invoking offiical authority, they should be prepared for that authority to be verified. Ask to see not only the badge, but also the photo identification that goes along with it.
I do not know of a law enforcement agency that does not issue photo identification to all sworn employees. Just as, in most cases, your state requires you to have an identification card showing you are an employee of your company, so must the police officer.
If you encounter resistance, know that this person is not a police officer to the reasonable man. They have shown you a badge without allowing inspection (It could be a security badge, or one of those CCW badges, or a fake PD badge), and are refusing to properly identify themselves. Summon law enforcement immediately, and take steps to protect yourself from this person if they become physical.
When I flew cross-country in October, 2001, I carried my company crediential case on me. Throughout the process, in multiple airports, of getting from point A to point B, screeners thought I was a law enforcement officer, merely because I placed my credential case with badge in the bin for X-Ray. They did not stop to look. Don't be like them.