Two men have been sentenced to six months in jail after being discovered with counterfeit driving licenses during a drug raid. The incident took place on February 20, 2024, when law enforcement officers executed a section 23 drugs warrant at a residence in Pockeridge Road, Corsham, Wiltshire. It was at the home of Irfan Azizi, 35, who was located in an upstairs bedroom of the property.
Muhamet Jahollari, 22, was found alongside Azizi in the bedroom and both men were detained by the officers. A search of the property revealed a forged German driving license belonging to Jahollari, and a car key which Jahollari was attempting to conceal was seized.
This discovery led to a vehicle registered to Jahollari using the details from the fake driving license. Additionally, a second forged German driving license was found inside the vehicle.
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In a prior incident on January 27, Azizi visited Melksham Custody to have his impounded vehicle released, during which he presented a fake German driving license.
Subsequently, on January 31, Azizi was stopped by an officer from Northamptonshire Police while driving in Northampton and once again produced the counterfeit German license, claiming he had exchanged it for an Albanian license.
Both men admitted to and were charged with possession of false documents with intent. They received their sentence in a hearing at Swindon Crown Court on April 4 and were also instructed to pay a victim surcharge.
Detective Constable Kev Golledge of the Chippenham Neighbourhood Policing Team emphasized the seriousness of using fake driving licenses and the impact it has on the country’s governance and road safety. He stated that the possession and use of counterfeit licenses is not a victimless crime and highlighted the potential for further criminal activities to be facilitated through their use.
Golledge expressed satisfaction with the custodial sentence handed to Azizi and Jahollari and hoped that it would serve as a deterrent to those who disregard the legal requirement for valid driving documentation.