A MAJOR Garda investigation is under way after a former Tunisian dictator was linked to a global Irish passport scam.

The Irish Sun can reveal details of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s probe into the north African country’s ex-president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, 82.

Ex-Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali Credit: EPA

The former soldier — who fled to Saudi Arabia in 2011 after protests in Tunisia against his 22-year reign of terror — has been accused of recruiting a master forger to provide “fraudulently obtained genuine passports” to allow his wife Leila and family to move freely around Europe.

Investigators are also probing if Ben Ali’s associates were using fake Irish passports to travel from Tunisia to the Middle East when the hardliner went into exile.

But the plan was foiled when cops in Nice, France, stormed an apartment last year and recovered dozens of bogus travel documents. One of the passports contained the name of one of Ben Ali’s relatives.

As part of the scam, investigators in France believe the fraudster made bogus applications to the Irish Passport Office.

Investigators believe the fraudster made bogus applications to the Irish Passport Office Credit: Getty - Contributor

Although Ben Ali’s family are from Tunisia, they used their legitimate names on the Irish passports after claiming their grandparents were Irish.

Other fake documents — including birth certificates — were recovered as part of their efforts to claim they had links to Ireland.

The suspected forger remains in custody as the investigation led by a local magistrate, which also involves Europol and Interpol, continues.

A Garda spokesman said: “We do not comment on ongoing investigations.”

We also contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs about the probe but they also did not make any comment.

The former soldier fled to Saudi Arabia in 2011 Credit: Getty - Contributor

A France-based source told us: “This appears to be an elaborate scam providing fraudulently obtained passports to close associates of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

“French police have sought the assistance of gardai because of the discovery of the Irish passports.”

The passports were found by officers who were probing Ben Ali’s links to a European money laundering network.

Despite his links to the scam, Saudi Arabia has refused to extradite him.

An international warrant was issued for Ben Ali’s arrest in January 2011 after he was accused of fleecing the Tunisian people for millions. While in exile, Ben Ali and his wife were tried in their absence and each sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Daniel Kinahan Credit: The Sun Dublin

Meanwhile, NBCI detectives also established how Daniel Kinahan’s cartel are using homeless people to apply for passports. Officers discovered they were paying vulnerable men €200 to obtain dodgy travel documents.

The scam involves someone living in a hostel completing a passport application.

The form is then sent to the passport office in the capital containing images of a gangster.

Detectives identified some of the names on the passports and circulated them to Europol.

NBCI Det Supt George Kyne told the Irish Sun: “These are major investigations and are being run and managed very efficiently and effectively. We also work closely with our partners overseas.”