Thirteen undocumented immigrants from Asia were arrested in Greece last week, along with one Turkish driver.  The group was on their way to Athens, and police were told that the migrants had paid 2,000 US dollars to the truck driver for the ride.

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Five British airports are planning to install an Iris Recognition Immigration System, or IRIS.  The Home Office signed a five-year contract to install the system at Birmingham, Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester and Stansted.  Once enrolled in the IRIS system, acceptable travelers will be able to take a special IRIS recognition channel through UK immigration.

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The Australian reported this week that the Department of Immigration will develop a massive database to store biometric identifiers from visa applicants and immigration detainees. The database will be known as the Identity Services Repository (ISP) and will allow the Department of Immigration to digitally store and retrieve photographs of visa applicants, as well as fingerprints and other biometric links such as iris scans, facial geometry, and height and weight information. 

The ISP is a major part of a $4.4 million project in this year’s departmental budget.  Also included in this project is the Customs Department’s extension of the SmartGate facial recognition system and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s biometric passports project. 

The three departments will report on the success of these pilot projects, and a final decision will be made on funding.

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The Independent (UK) reported last week that charges against three accused people-smugglers had been dropped due to a lack of evidence after prosecution witnesses could no longer be traced.  The three accused men who were seeking asylum from China had been accused of money laundering and operating a smuggling ring out of a Chinese Restaurant.  The three claimed that they were sending money to China for other Chinese who did not have bank accounts.  The total cost of the trial and police investigation was estimated at £6.5 million.