A large-scale credit card factory linked to Asian organized crime is closed for business thanks to the Richmond RCMP.
On March 21 Richmond Mounties’ financial crime investigators executed a search warrant at a condominium.
Inside the apartment, police seized two credit card embossing machines, a card printer, card skimming devices and numerous forged credit cards. Police also located several computers and hard drives containing personal identification including more than 20,000 credit card account numbers.
“Police believe that forged credit cards from this factory have been used throughout Canada and even across the border into Washington State,” said Cpl. Stephanie Ashton of the Richmond RCMP.
Alex Chih Sheng Chen has been charged with numerous credit card fraud related charges pertaining to the investigation.
Further charges are expected to be laid as police continue to examine evidence obtained from the search warrant.
It’s been determined that Chen, who first entered Canada on a student visa, has overstayed in the country by more than 10 years.
Immigration officials have been notified and are working with the RCMP to determine if further charges will be laid.
Meanwhile, police are continuing the fraud investigation and are notifying the appropriate financial institutions of the potentially compromised accounts.
"At this point, it's unclear how these credit card account numbers ended up in the credit card factory,” added Ashton.
“Richmond RCMP Economic Crime Unit continues to seek information on how this large scale illegal factory operated.
Police continue to urge the public to be vigilant when using their credit cards at stores by protecting their PINs.
It is also important to remember that documents thrown into the garbage or recycling may be retrieved and used in criminal activity.
Especially during tax season, it is important to remember to shred all documents containing personal information.
