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Young man caught trying to impersonate 81-year-old to fly to New York on fake passport

Thirty two-year-old dyed beard white

Helen Coffey
Tuesday 10 September 2019 07:02 EDT
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A 31-year-old impersonated an old man
A 31-year-old impersonated an old man (twitter/CISF)

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A 32-year-old man was apprehended at New Delhi airport after he was found to be impersonating an 81-year-old to fly to New York.

Jayesh Patel was attempting to travel using a fake passport bearing the name Amrik Singh and the date of birth 1 February 1938, reports local media.

Patel had disguised himself by dying his beard white, using a wheelchair and wearing glasses and a turban, according to a statement released by India’s Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Security agents became suspicious when he refused to be frisked on the grounds that he was old and unable to stand.

Sub-Inspector Rajveer Singh from the CISF said Patel didn’t make eye contact throughout the encounter.

“The appearance and skin texture of the passenger seemed to be much younger than mentioned in the passport,” the CISF said.

Patel was taken for furthering questioning, where agents observed that he had coloured his hair and was wearing glasses without any prescription.

Under questioning he admitted his real name and that he came from Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Patel was handed over to immigration officials for further investigation into why he was using a fake passport.

It follows the story of an American woman who was arrested for child trafficking in the Philippines after she tried to smuggle a baby through airport security in her handbag.

Jennifer Talbot, from Ohio, was stopped at immigration at Ninoy Aquino International airport in Manila, Philippines, when agents at terminal three asked about the contents of her oversized sling bag.

The 43-year-old was preparing to board a plane bound for the US.

Talbot did not have a passport or any travel documentation for the child.

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