Briton, German Arrested With 249 Fake Passports

[george]

Briton, German arrested with 249 fake passports

BANGKOK: - A South African and two Europeans have been arrested in the Thai capital for forging hundreds of Italian passports and visa seals they planned to sell in Europe, immigration police said on Thursday.

British national Robert John Pope, 57, and German Uwe Schneider, 30, were arrested at their apartment on Wednesday night with 119 fake Italian passports, 120 Italian passport stamps and 10 British passport laminates.

As police brought the two suspects to immigration headquarters for interrogation, South African Philip Hofer, 31, arrived and offered a bribe of 500 000 baht to police to release the two suspects and all seized documents, police said in a statement.

Hofer was later charged with bribing officials on top of falsifying and using official documents along with his two colleagues.

"The three suspects denied all charges, so police will prosecute them, revoke their visas, and place them on an immigration blacklist," the statement said, adding that the suspects each faced five years behind bars.

The European Union has accused Thailand of being a hub for forgery of official documents, which facilitates human trafficking around the globe. Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade was controlled by foreigners.

In February a Frenchman and a German were arrested at Bangkok's international airport for attempting to smuggle out of the country more than 400 fake European passports and visa seals.

Last November, Spanish authorities said they and Thai police unearthed a passport-forging "factory" in Bangkok designed to help people-trafficking gangs bring illegal immigrants into Europe, with some of the passports falling into the hands of international terrorists.

--news24.com 2004-05-20

[thaimee]

Great work chap's, what did Hofer do wrong, was the bribe to low? Thaimee.

[Up2U]

Great work chap's, what did Hofer do wrong, was the bribe to low? Thaimee.

No, he talked to the guy at the counter, rather than the one in the back office.

(And he wasn't wearing a genuine Liverpool football shirt)

[ChiangMaiThai]

Why on earth didn't immigration accept the bribe? They could have seized the documents, scared the sh#t out of the guys and let them free. If they were Thai, surely immigration would accept half a million baht.

[kmanrox]

Why on earth didn't immigration accept the bribe? They could have seized the documents, scared the sh#t out of the guys and let them free. If they were Thai, surely immigration would accept half a million baht.

it's probably a combination of

1. the government is trying to show the international community that it *is* foreigners that are causing these passport forgeries to happen in Thailand

and/or

2. the bribe (as stated above) was given to the wrong person in the chain of command. i was always told 'bribe BEFORE you get to the station or you're S.O.L.

[taxexile]

i doubt very much if you could bribe your way out of a 200 fake euro passport tug.

i am left wondering if the police know who is actually producing them, and why dont they arrest the forgers as well as the delivery boys.

[thaimee]

i was always told 'bribe BEFORE you get to the station or you're S.O.L.

For Reference:

Again, bribe before you get to the station, that's what i'd been doing wrong. Thaimee.

[megashox]

John Pope forging Italian passports!

We should just let him go - on religious grounds.

[castelleone]

Maybe I am a little naiv, but could it be that the Thai authorities in this case did want to find out about the forgery on the Thai side? And could it also be that Philip Hofer unfortunately met an incorruptible officer?

Anyway, another case of stupidity. How can Thai people ever respect farangs if things like that keep happening?

[arthsch]

Briton, German arrested with 249 fake passports

there is no reason for sympathysing with criminals. they are making our life here more difficult.

[deminister]

Inappropriate post removed.

/Admin

Edited May 20, 2004 by george

[george]

Update:

Three westerners held in raid on suspected forged passport ring

BANGKOK: -- Three westerners suspected of involvement in a forged passports ring were arrested by Thai police today and later charged with attempted bribery.

Robert John Pope (aged 57), from England and German Uwe Schneider (aged 30) were held as they were leaving their Bangkok apartment with 119 fake Italian passports, said police Lieutenant General Charnwuth Wacharapuk.

Also seized were 120 rubber stamps and other materials for making the passports, said Charnwuth.

He said the suspects apparently had been forging the documents for sale in England.

The men were arrested because they were deemed undesirable aliens conducting activities harmful to the society.

As such, they are blacklisted and can be expelled from the country. Forging official documents is a crime only if they are Thai documents.

Police later detained a third man, South African Philipp Hofer, (aged 31), who contacted them and offered €10,400 for the release of the two suspects.

He was also declared an undesirable alien, and all three men were then charged with attempted bribery, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment .

Thailand is well-known in law enforcement circles as a centre for production of fake passports, which has became a matter of major concern in the fight against terrorism and human trafficking.

--iol.ie 2004-05-20

[Billion]

--------------

[jingjog]

They knew, that now it´s nearly impossible to make enough money with legal business!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Briton, German arrested with 249 fake passports

there is no reason for sympathysing with criminals. they are making our life here more difficult.

There's precious little sympathy for them around here.

[surfercaesar]

No qualms here.

You do the crime be prepared to do the time!!!!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Maybe I am a little naiv, but could it be that the Thai authorities in this case did want to find out about the forgery on the Thai side? And could it also be that Philip Hofer unfortunately met an incorruptible officer?

Anyway, another case of stupidity. How can Thai people ever respect farangs if things like that keep happening?

The farang hereabouts continually carp about why Thai's generally hold us in contempt. It ain't too hard to see why I reckon.

[george]

Fake-passport gang busted, police say

BANGKOK: Police say they have busted an international gang which was making fake Italian passports.

The passports were for sale in Europe to Iranian and Arab customers who might pass as Italians, Col Chote Kulladilok, commander of the Immigration Bureau's investigation unit, said.

Robert John Pope, 57, from Italy, and Uwe Schneider, 30, from Germany were arrested in Ua-amornsuk Condo, Klong Toey, on Wednesday night. Police seized 119 fake Italian passports, 10 British passport laminates and four travellers cheques from a Japanese bank.

Police later detained Philipp Hofer, 31, of South Africa, who allegedly offered them 600,000 baht to release the men.

The Post 2004-05-20

[dighambara]

My two Baht:

Three westerners have just dirtied the image of foreigners in Thailand. They're not the first, nor the last. I think maximum sentencing applies here. One positive note, they should speak Thai fluently when they get out. (As hard as I've tried over the years, I'm not there yet.)

Strange how this parallels the Abu Greib prison scandal. A few bad apples spoil the entire shipment.

Michael Weldon

Udon Thani

[meadish_sweetball]

Off with their heads!

[snowleopard]

My two Baht:

          Three westerners have just dirtied the image of foreigners in Thailand.  They're not the first, nor the last.  I think maximum sentencing applies here.  One positive note, they should speak Thai fluently when they get out.  (As hard as I've tried over the years, I'm not there yet.)

          Strange how this parallels the Abu Greib prison scandal.  A few bad apples spoil the entire shipment.

                                                    Michael Weldon

                                                    Udon Thani

I think maximum sentencing applies here.  One positive note, they should speak Thai fluently when they get out.  (As hard as I've tried over the years, I'm not there yet.)

I'm positively sure that this must be in grave violation of some of the myriad of laws in the Thai statute book,which are,by the way,also so conveniently contradictory that conviction in every case is practically ensured by the judiciary!

Your parole has now been officially and permanently suspended due to truancy!

Back into the slammer with YOU without further ado!

Now you'd better study for your Thai final or else...!

Snowleopard.

[snowleopard]

Off with their heads!

That'll teach'em a lesson for life!

(Det var ord och inga visor )

Cheers.

Snowleopard.

[kurgen]

Better confiscate their passports incase they try to do a runner

[snowleopard]

Something went wrong when I added the reply!See the whole post further down!

Snowleopard.

[snowleopard]

Great work chap's, what did Hofer do wrong, was the bribe to low? Thaimee.   

No, he talked to the guy at the counter, rather than the one in the back office.

(And he wasn't wearing a genuine Liverpool football shirt)

ChiangMai Thai

Why on earth didn't immigration accept the bribe? They could have seized the documents, scared the sh#t out of the guys and let them free. If they were Thai, surely immigration would accept half a million baht.

This case should be dealt with in the good old tolerant Thai tradition of the last century.

The bribe attempt was too open and blatant for the new hypocritical anti-corruption ways so prevalent in the Realm of today;so both the bribe money and counterfeit passports should be confiscated!

That money should then be clandestinely kicked-back and divided fairly and squarely among the players involved,and the fake passports could once again be smuggled out and resold by a competent agent!

The public should be shown how the foreigners are officially deported while they in reality all get return tickets and newly issued genuine passports from their embassies with real visa stamps in them,under the table!

They should be blacklisted and warned that they can't be back in Thailand for at least a month until the whole thing has calmed down and everything is forgotten and forgiven by all and sundry!

By this summer,they can once again be seen nursing their beers down in Pat Pong!

All's well that ends well!

Snowleopard.

[eric1000]

5 years ? thats very leniant , they should get 20-30 years as this appears to be a common crime carried out by lowlife farangs in Bangkok.

the fake passports could be used by terrorists ..

the punishment should be a deterent , at present they arent too bothered ..

[george]

Fake passport suspect in Thailand 'no South African': foreign ministry

BANGKOK: -- South Africa's foreign ministry Friday said a man held in Thailand with two Europeans for forging hundreds of Italian passports and visa seals was not South African as initially stated by Thai immigration police.

"The department of foreign affairs has verified that the suspect detained in Bangkok on Thursday for the alleged possession of fake passports is in fact no South African," foreign ministry spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said in a statement.

He said the man was "indeed travelling on a fake South African passport obtained fraudulently," adding that he was also "wanted by Interpol for other related matters."

When contacted by AFP about the man's nationality, Mamoepa said: "We have the information but we cannot divulge which country he is from."

British national Robert John Pope, 57, German Uwe Schneider, 30, and a man identified as a South African, Philipp Hofer, were arrested at their apartment Wednesday night with 119 fake Italian passports, 120 Italian passport stamps and 10 British passport laminates.

Hofer offered a 12,500-dollar bribe to police to release the two suspects and all seized documents, Thai police said in a statement. He was later charged with bribing officials on top of falsifying and using official documents along with his two colleagues.

"The three suspects denied all charges, so police will prosecute them, revoke their visas, and place them on an immigration blacklist," the Thai statement said, adding that the suspects each faced five years behind bars.

The European Union has accused Thailand of being a hub for forgery of official documents, which facilitates human trafficking around the globe. Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade was controlled by foreigners.

--AFT 2004-05-22

[DaveYo]

Passports being faked and then used is a travesity of justice. These three dude obviously knew what they were doing, and this business has to stop and cease to exist.

Can you imagine what would happen around the world if these anti-social psychopaths got a hold of these fake documents and wreck havoc in various places around the world. There would be no end in sight and it is possible maybe some member of your family become a victim of their high and mighty crap of either religious or political ideals that is so twisted and way bent out of shape.

Obviously these three haven't had their buggers wanged in enough to get the message. As far as I am concerned they can get fed to the crocs and we would not miss them in a heartbeat.

Good for the Thai Boys to catch their little fannys, now it is open season for 3 of them in looney tooney town so they best learn how to do the moonie correctly or it will hurt some. The best gift they can receive if anyone wishes to donate is KY Jelly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As usual we hear about idiots time and time again.

[maerim]

As usual we hear about idiots time and time again.

We sure do.

[CMguy]

I am curious as to how many forgerers paid the appropriate fee/bribe of 2,500,000 baht and were allowed to export their forged passports