Anvar Razzakovich Kadyrov

Got caught before he became operational.

This post is shorter since all I had was a name. The internet was not so widespread when the events surrounding our subject transpired. Nonetheless, its an interesting insight into how different passports are valued by the illegals.

In 1991, Anvar Razzakovich Kadyrov, a Soviet intelligence operative, was deported from New Zealand after attempting to fraudulently obtain a New Zealand passport. Kadyrov sought to assume the identity of Philip James Couper, a Wellington boy who had died at the age of six in 1966, by using his birth certificate to create a false identity.

This incident is part of a broader pattern where foreign agents have targeted New Zealand passports due to their perceived value and the country's reputation. The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) has played a crucial role in safeguarding the integrity of these documents. For instance, in 2004, Israeli agents Eli Cara and Uriel Kelman were apprehended while attempting to fraudulently acquire New Zealand passports.

Another notable case involves Sergey Yuryevich Cherepanov, a Russian spy who operated under the alias "Henry Frith." Cherepanov lived in Spain for two decades, maintaining a fabricated identity as a consultant while working for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). His alias was reportedly based on the identity of a deceased New Zealand child, a tactic reminiscent of Kadyrov's approach.

These cases highlight the ongoing challenges faced by New Zealand authorities in preventing the misuse of their passports by foreign intelligence operatives. The NZSIS continues to monitor and counter such activities to protect national security and maintain the integrity of New Zealand's travel documents.

If anyone has any insight or research tips for this, I would be very grateful.