My immediate thought when I read the original report of this was exactly this. I am Australian and I travel frequently - I have a 64-page passport which is mostly full with 100s of stamp, and is so worn the laminate is peeling off the ID page.
When I enter Australia in particular they often take it away to study and check, and advise me that I need to get it replaced or it will become a problem. I just had a customs official at Heathrow in the UK tell me the same just last month.
What's more realistic? They want him to replace his tattered passport, or everyone is out to get him?