VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 25 (UPI) -- Seven Iranians posing as Israelis, found to be carrying forged Israeli passports, were detained by Canadian authorities for questioning, officials said.
Two adults and five children were detained by authorities at Vancouver International Airport after it was discovered they were carrying false Israeli passports, and claimed to be members of a family that lives in Rehovot, Israel, Yedioth Ahronot reported Thursday. It was unclear when the incident occurred.
The seven had arrived indirectly from Iran and planned to immigrate to Canada despite having no visas, the paper said.
After discovering the forgeries, Canadian authorities contacted Israel's Population and Immigration Authority, which confirmed the forgeries, the paper said. Israeli officials told the newspaper it appears the passports were stolen from or lost by Israeli citizens.
The passports at first appeared authentic, but closer inspection revealed an array of errors in the Hebrew language, including the misspelling of Jerusalem, the paper said. In the English language, the passports said they were issued in the United States while in Hebrew it said they were issued in Rehovot, Israel, the paper said.
