Nine defendants are scheduled to appear before the Criminal Court of Dar El Beida on October 27, 2026, to face charges related to a criminal network involved in forging Algerian citizenship documents. Authorities initiated the investigation on April 21, 2025. This probe began following the arrest of two individuals at the biometric document office in Tindouf. The investigation into the network officially commenced on April 21, 2025, immediately after the two individuals were apprehended by law enforcement officers at the biometric document office in Tindouf. The case involves allegations of illegal administrative document production, which triggered a security operation across the region. Law enforcement officials subsequently identified the network members during the months following the initial arrests. The upcoming court session in Dar El Beida will address the criminal activities documented by investigators since the case opened last year.
Investigation Into Forgery Ring
Police discovered forged birth certificates in the possession of the suspects that existed in the electronic system but not in the paper records. Investigators identified these discrepancies while reviewing documents seized from members of the criminal network. The process of verification required authorities to cross-reference digital entries against physical archives maintained by local municipal offices.
The network used the services of a municipal employee in Tindouf to alter birth certificates in the digital system. This individual facilitated the unauthorized modifications by accessing official databases to create records that lacked corresponding physical documentation in municipal archives. By bypassing standard verification protocols, the employee was able to generate fraudulent digital footprints for the clients of the network. Authorities linked these digital manipulations to the broader forgery operation uncovered in Tindouf. The evidence gathered from these electronic records remains a focal point for the upcoming proceedings at the Criminal Court of Dar El Beida, where the digital trail will be presented to the court.
Financial Costs of Fraud
Members of the criminal network charged between 15 and 20 million centimes for each forged document produced during their operation. Investigators established this price structure after examining financial records and witness accounts linked to the illegal service. The pricing appears to have been consistent across the network's operations, reflecting a structured approach to the illicit trade of citizenship documentation.
A Malian national admitted to paying 15 million centimes to obtain a forged Algerian identity file from the group. This individual provided details regarding the transaction during questioning by authorities following the initial security operation. The payment reflects the standard rates enforced by the network for clients seeking fraudulent citizenship documentation. Prosecutors intend to present these financial details as evidence of the organized nature of the forgery ring during the upcoming proceedings at the Criminal Court of Dar El Beida. The testimony regarding the payment notes the specific methods used by the defendants to facilitate the acquisition of forged materials by foreign nationals. This evidence is expected to be central to the arguments presented by the prosecution when the nine defendants appear in court.
