Two notorious crime bosses, Anthony Beard and Christopher Zietek, alongside several gang members, have been convicted for supplying fraudulent passports following a meticulous five-year investigation.

These passports, priced between £5,000 and £15,000, were fraudulently obtained yet genuine, desired by numerous criminals including the UK's infamous cocaine kingpin, Michael Moogan.

Michael Moogan operated at a 'Premier League' crime level, evading capture for eight years until his 2021 arrest in Dubai. Convicted last week, he was sentenced to 12 years in Manchester Crown Court.

Beard, a London native expert in FOGs, orchestrated passport procurement for two decades. He handled every application detail meticulously, while Zietek leveraged his crime network, acting as the scheme's broker.

Both were arrested in October 2021, facing charges of conspiracy and money laundering. Beard confessed in January 2023, while Zietek was convicted in March.

NCA's Craig Turner highlighted the operation's success in dismantling a network that posed a significant threat by enabling criminals to evade justice. The comprehensive cross-border investigation demonstrated the NCA's pivotal role in countering severe criminal threats to the UK.