A new investigation has revealed that fake death-threat letters, purportedly issued by the Taliban, are being sold in Afghanistan for as little as £40 to help individuals bolster their asylum claims in the United Kingdom.
According to the report, small networks of intermediaries and corrupt local officials are producing forged letters that claim the recipient is under threat from the Taliban for alleged collaboration with Western forces. These documents are then used by asylum seekers as supporting evidence when applying for refuge in the UK, where claims based on personal danger can significantly improve the chances of approval.
Sources cited in the investigation say the trade has become a “thriving business,” with hundreds of such letters believed to be circulating. Some Afghan individuals already settled in the UK have alleged that the practice includes not only fabricated threat letters but also staged photos, videos and exaggerated accounts of Taliban persecution.
The emergence of this black-market operation has raised fresh concerns within immigration circles, with officials warning that such forgeries undermine the integrity of the UK’s asylum system and make it harder to differentiate between genuine cases and fabricated ones.
The Taliban, however, have denied involvement in issuing or selling any such letters, describing the documents as fake and blaming criminal groups for exploiting the situation.
UK authorities are yet to comment publicly on the reported findings, but experts say the revelations may prompt stricter scrutiny of Afghan asylum claims and increased verification measures for documentation submitted by applicants.
