MANILA -- Authorities arrested six persons at establishments in the busy Recto compound in Manila, a known production hub of fake documents, Saturday.

The National Bureau of Investigation raided 2 houses after receiving information that these are being used as a production facility for fake documents.

They caught the individuals in the act of faking documents, including a driver's license, NBI and police clearances, TIN and SSS IDs, among others.

The suspects said they were only employees at the production house and they do not know the whereabouts of the owner of the illegal business.

The operation stemmed from the arrest of a woman for using a fake passport in her attempt to leave for Japan, according to Atty. Ruel Dogayon, Executive Officer of the NBI International Airport Investigation Division.

Authorities failed to recover fake passports at the establishments, but was able to shut down the facilities.

They hope that this effort would result in the end of the production of fake documents in Recto that also offer services to students at the university belt.