Mundelein cops crack fake ID scheme

Mundelein police have uncovered a counterfeit ID scheme detectives described as the best they'd ever seen.

More than 50 fake driver's licenses, social security cards and other documents were discovered inside the suspect's apartment following his arrest, Mundelein police Sgt. John Monahan said.

The suspect, a local resident whose name has not been released to the media, used a computer and specialized equipment to produce ID cards that could've passed for legitimate, police said.

"The quality of the driver's licenses he was making was, in my opinion, very, very good," Monahan said. "It would be difficult for anyone to tell the difference, including a police officer."

The 36-year-old suspect is in federal custody but has not yet been charged, said Greg Pal-more, spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforce-ment.

It was not known whether the suspect was part of a larger counterfeiting ring or led the operation, Palmore said. The case is under investigation.

"We don't know the full extent of it," Palmore said.

The suspect is a Mexican citizen who used a fake passport to repeatedly travel to and from his home country and the United States, police said.