Illegal migrants buy fake UK passports and driving licences advertised on social media for £5k

One advert promised they could get a full driving licence and pass "theory and practical certificates without exams."

Another firm, operating from Swinton, Greater Manchester, offered "original guaranteed" UK passports for £5,000, according to a Sun on Sunday investigation.

Migrants can use the fake documents to make fake applications to remain, or secure a job illegally, with most employers unable to spot the forgeries.

An NCA spokesperson said: "False identity documents remain a key enabler of organised immigration crime." The adverts were taken down after they were reported to Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, Meta.

TikTok said it had removed those ads and directed would-be customers to anti-trafficking charities. Meta told The Sun on Sunday: "Fraudulent activity is not allowed on our platforms and we remove ads and accounts which violate our policies."

Conservative MP for Wetherby and Easingwold Sir Alec Shelbrooke said: "Perhaps if migrants saw, on the same social media channels as these adverts, that they would be immediately deported they would think twice about parting with thousands of pounds."

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It comes as the Conservatives hit back at measures aimed at cracking down on organised immigration crime, claiming they are are too "weak" as the party branded the Government’s proposed travel bans and social media blackouts as "laughable."

Under new court orders, suspects could be prevented from using a laptop or mobile phone, accessing social media networks, associating with certain people, or accessing their finances.

The proposed legislation comes as figures show the number of migrants arriving in the UK in 2024 by crossing the English Channel in small boats was up by a quarter on the previous year.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: "The idea that dangerous people smuggling gangs are going to be deterred by the threat of some sort of mobile phone banning order is pretty laughable, frankly. These measures are not going to make a difference."

WATCH: Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp hits out at the Labour Party

According to provisional figures from the Home Office, some 36,816 people crossed the English Channel in 2024, a jump of 25 per cent from the 29,437 who arrived in 2023. The total is down 20 per cent on the record 45,774 arrivals in 2022, however.

Labour MP for Dover and Deal Mike Tapp argued that the Government has made progress on cracking down on smuggling gangs, but "much work remains to be done."

He said: "As well as new powers, we must get the approach right. To do so, the Border Security Command should follow the lead of MI5’s approach to tackling terrorists. MI5’s priority when operating against terror cells is to stop terrorist attacks from happening."