Wellington  - Three Chinese citizens have been arrested in New Zealand and charged with forging university degrees, diplomas and other academic records, police announced on Thursday.

They are believed to have produced more than 100 false qualifications, all with Chinese names, claiming the recipients had completed courses at New Zealand universities.

Those charged are men aged 26 and 27 and a 27-year-old woman.

Detective Inspector Stu Allsopp-Smith said a police investigation had uncovered a market for professionally forged academic qualifications, but there was no evidence that those responsible had been able to compromise university academic registries where official records were kept.

Earlier this week, police charged a 17-year-old Cambodian student with forging drivers' licences with fake birth dates that had been sold to teenagers enabling them to get entry to bars, where the minimum drinking age is 18. (dpa)