Islington Council Trading Standards has brought a successful prosecution against a mail forwarding company for accepting fake identification in what is believed to be the first case of its kind.
An investigation into Mailbox Group Ltd, which receives letters and parcels on behalf of clients before forwarding them on, revealed an ‘alarmingly insufficient’ identification process according to Islington Council.
Mail forwarding businesses are legally required to keep certain documents so that their clients can be identified if required. However, the Trading Standards investigation revealed that the company had accepted an ID that the police were immediately able to identify as fake because it used the identity of a famous footballer.
Mailbox Group Ltd’s failure to carry out appropriate checks also hampered an investigation into illegally imported drugs by some clients as the acceptance of a fake ID prevented authorities from identifying key suspects.
At Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court, Mailbox Group Ltd was convicted on four counts of failing to comply with section 75 (6)(e) of the London Local Authorities Act 2007. The company received a fine of £4,000 for each offence, resulting in a total penalty of £16,000. Mailbox Group Ltd is appealing the convictions.
Councillor John Woolf, Islington Council Executive Member for Community Safety, said: “Everyone in Islington deserves to feel safe. Mailbox Group Ltd’s failure to implement even basic checks not only allowed criminals to evade justice but also undermined the safety of our community.
“We hope this case sends a strong signal to other mail forwarding businesses that complacency is not an option, and we will take robust action.”
