A Murston man has been sentenced to three years behind bars for his part in supplying false identity documents.

Edward Oluwaseyi Shogbamu, of Burnup Bank, was one of six men running a false identity racket in Lewisham which is believed to have produced more than 2,000 counterfeit IDs.

The gang was caught red-handed creating passports when detectives from Metropolitan Police’s Operation Maxim, carried out a search at an industrial unit on Lewisham Way, on April 9 last year.

One of the men, Michael Smith, was found sitting at a desk with a laptop featuring a passport image which was mid-production.

Another, Olusola Opedo, was found with a package containing a fake passport and keys to the address. Detectives also carried out searches at addresses in Lewisham and Luton that day.

Overall, they recovered 500 fake passports from 12 countries, including Spain, Liberia and the Congo, drivers’ licences, travel documents, numerous pieces of printing equipment and two hot foil presses used to emboss passport covers.

They also seized two tippers used to layer embossed material with metallic colouring, two scanners as well as 14 laptops/computers, 40 mobile phones and 25 USB sticks.

The men, who were found guilty of conspiracy to make, adapt, supply or offer articles for use in fraud at Southwark Crown Court, were all handed prison sentences.

Nigerian national Shogbamu, 30, was given three years. Smith, 32, of Le May Avenue, south London, received four years.

South Londoners Opedo, 49, Oluwafemi Fabiyi, 30, Adebayo Adekunle Lawal, 53, and Tajudeen Adesina, 30, all received two years imprisonment.