Brazilian police have dismantled an international network accused of helping foreign nationals obtain Brazilian passports through fraudulently obtained birth records and identity documents. Police carried out raids on Thursday in Brasília, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo under Operation “Livro E”. Five people were arrested, while 14 others remain wanted. Investigators said the suspects targeted foreign customers willing to pay for a Brazilian identity. The scheme allegedly relied on a register used to record births of Brazilians abroad, with cancelled entries allegedly reused and filled in with invented personal details. Police allege that the operation used staff, and former staff, with access to official administrative systems. Investigators also said authentic digital authenticity seals were added to the documents, meaning the material used was not merely forged passports, but official Brazilian travel documents produced using fraudulent personal data. According to investigators, the fraud began with the altered birth records, which were then used to apply for Brazilian identity cards. Those cards were used to obtain Brazilian passports. Authorities believe the passports could have been used to travel under a different identity and conceal a person’s real background. The investigation also connected the network’s work to potential organised crime links. Police said they are checking whether some clients were involved in international drug trafficking, financial crime, or other organised criminal activity. Raids in Rio de Janeiro led to the arrest of a man from Syria and a man from Lebanon, described as intermediaries who allegedly guided customers to government offices and acted as interpreters. Police said they sometimes posed as representatives of embassies to make applications appear more credible. In São Paulo, two people were arrested over their alleged role in providing digital authenticity seals. In Brasília, a staff member from a registry office was arrested for allegedly manipulating official records. Authorities say 15 suspected cases of document fraud were uncovered, including one involving a minor. Procedures have started to invalidate the fraudulent birth records and to withdraw the identity cards and passports issued based on them. The investigation is ongoing. Five suspects are in custody, while 14 are still wanted.