"Mobile identity theft lab" nabbed at Canada border

Most folks use their RVs for recreation, some use them for business, but the "Rainbow Five" used theirs for a life of crime, until they made a wrong turn at the Rainbow Bridge.

Five US citizens left California last December in a motorhome with more than just the usual travel equipment. Included in the cargo, equipment that helped the "criminal quintet" to manufacture bogus credit cards and driver licenses. They made their way across the US, apparently by using their phony products to make cash advances. It looks like one piece of equipment they failed to have on hand was a GPS system, because last March, while traveling through Niagra Falls, the group made a wrong turn and wound up on Canada's doorstep.

The motorhome's driver, Felicks Balon, told custom's official he'd made an error, that he really hadn't intended to head into Canada. That was fine with officials, but they went ahead and ran identity checks anyway--turning up a criminal record on Balon that meant he couldn't enter the country. At this point, officials told Balon he was unwelcome in what some call The People's Republic of Canuckistan, but he could turn the motorhome around and head back to the US. Instead of taking advantage of the gracious offer, Balon panicked and fled north.

Excercising a bit of suspicion, officials then searched the motorhome, finding illegal drugs, and eventually the counterfieting equipment. They took the motorhome's other passengers into custody, and eventually, Balon was nabbed and all stood before court on charges. Balon got 27 months for importing illegal drugs and fleeing an immigration officer; the others--who all came equipped with phony identification--all good nine month sentences.