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An air steward who tried to smuggle fake passports into Birmingham Airport by hiding them inside his UNDERPANTS has been jailed for five years.

Shaukat Ali Cheema, 59, had smuggled 26 passports, 37 biodata passport pages and 13 driving licences inside his adapted briefs when arrested.

Border Force officers swooped on the senior air steward for Pakistan International Airlines as he passed through customs at Birmingham Airport on March 22.

The documents were concealed within special pockets and compartments, which were sewn into the pants.

The investigation was passed to the National Crime Agency’s Border Policing Command, who charged Cheema with seven counts of possessing false identity documents with improper intention.

The air steward, who had 40 years service with the airline, pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court.

Dawn Cartwright, from the National Crime Agency, said: “The passports and driving licences that Cheema attempted to smuggle in his pants were intended for people in Italy, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Pakistan.

“Fake documents are a serious concern for law enforcement. Those driving licences could have ended up in the hands of people who weren’t qualified, or safe, to drive.

“And more generally, fake and fraudulently obtained documents helps criminals to avoid law enforcement detection and carry on in their criminality.

“We continue to work together with Border Force to make sure those who try to make life easy for criminals are intercepted and brought to justice.”

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