Markham
September 06, 2008 08:35 PM
Joe Fantauzzi
York Regional Police have seized hundreds of blank plastic cards, which fraud investigators believe were intended to be used as counterfeit financial cards, The Economist & Sun has learned.
On July 29, the Canada Border Services Agency contacted the York police central fraud bureau about a package intercepted from the People’s Republic of China, police spokesperson Const. Gary Phillips said.
Numerous laminated plastic cards, embossed with the logos of banks, as well as gold and silver foil with a credit card company’s hologram were found inside the package, Const. Phillips said.
On Thursday, central fraud unit detectives raided a home on Woodhall Road, in the McCowan Road and Steeles Avenue area, seizing a laptop, laminators, silver and gold foils and a device used to encode account information on magnetic strips, Const. Phillips said. Hundreds of the blank cards were seized by police, Det.-Sgt. Mike Elliott of the fraud bureau confirmed.
A man, who holds a People’s Republic of China passport, was arrested in connection with the case, according to Det.-Sgt. Elliott.
“Protect that information; protect those cards,” Det.-Sgt. Elliott urged people who use credit and debit cards.
Debit and credit card labs established in neighbourhoods may appear similar to marijuana grow houses, he added.
People may be seen moving boxes and even some chemicals — such as adhesives — in and out of the home and have visitors at odd hours, he said.
Hui Hui He, 30, of Markham is charged with fraud over $5,000, export/import and possessing instrument for forging/falsifying.