Theft of Mexican passports

This notice is issued by the Financial Supervision Commission (“the Commission”) in accordance with the powers conferred upon it under Section 22 of the Financial Supervision Act 1988.

The Commission has received the information below through official channels.

On 24 February 2003, the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Relations (SRE) in Mexico City reported that 2552 blank Mexican passports were recently stolen from a contract courier service in Mexico City. The passports are the new photo-digitized type.

According to SRE, the book numbers of the stolen Mexican passports are numbered in the range F4125201 to F4128000. This number range also includes 248 passports that had printing errors and were destroyed. Therefore, all Mexican passport book numbers in this range are to be considered invalid.

Please note: What is commonly considered the number on a Mexican passport is printed on the data page and added during the issuance process. The serial numbers listed above are the "libreta" (book) numbers, analogous to the inventory control numbers of U.S. passports. The Mexican libreta numbers are perforated along the top of the interior pages of each passport and also appear on the back inside cover.

Licenceholders should be vigilant for any persons attempting to use any of the stolen Mexican passports as evidence of identity when establishing a business relationship. The Commission would expect licenceholders to take specific preventative steps in that regard as part of their normal due diligence procedures.

Discovery by licenceholders of any attempt to use one of the stolen passports should be reported to the Commission immediately.

Such reports, or queries about this Public Warning, can be made by contacting the Commission using +44 1624 689312 or fsc@gov.im.

FSC reference: ASW/10/2003