Subject: caught trying to fool the biometrics

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090630a4.html

NARITA, Chiba Pref. (Kyodo) Immigration authorities have successfully
detected four people since January trying to enter Japan

illegally by trying to fool the biometric identity system.

Officials at Narita International Airport said Monday the four had
altered their fingerprints by having patterns surgically removed and
stitched or even filed down.

...

The four people detected at Narita were arrested and told Chiba police
investigators that their fingerprints were altered with surgery
performed in China, where they had paid doctors 5,000 yuan (roughly
¥70,000) for the procedure, according to the police.

Police suspect possible involvement by organized human-traffickers in
China.



Brings up the obvious question: how many people successfully slip
through? And how much is it really worth to slip into Japan?