From correspondents in India, 11:00 PM IST

Two passengers with forged passports were arrested Tuesday by immigration officials at Kozhikode International Airport here.

Both passengers arrived by a RAK Airways flight from Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.

'One of the arrested, Harif, is a native of Kasargod district in Kerala. He used the forged passport to return home as his original passport was with his employer,' an immigration official told IANS.

The second passenger, Muhammed Rafi, 44, is a native of Kannur district. Immigration authorities found that he used a forged passport to board the flight at Ras al-Khaimah because of overstay in the UAE.

'He produced his original passport on his arrival here. But it carried a forged immigration exit stamp of the UAE authorities,' the official added.

In the last two months immigration authorities at the airport have arrested over a dozen passengers with forged passports.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)