WINDHOEK: The Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security has issued an alert to the public regarding a syndicate involved in producing and selling counterfeit Namibian birth certificates and IDs. In a media statement on Tuesday, the ministry's executive director, Etienne Maritz stated that this illicit behaviour threatens the integrity of national records and national security. He said the public is once again reminded that services such as first registration of birth and application for identification documents are provided free of charge by the ministry. 'We, therefore, urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity related to the production or distribution of fake national documents to the nearest law enforcement authorities or the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security,' he said. He added that the public can be rest assured that the ministry has the ability to verify the authenticity of its national documents, and that anyone involved in the p roduction or use of counterfeit documents is committing an offence and will face appropriate prosecution. Source: The Namibia Press Agency