Thai immigration officials apprehended the leader of a Russian gang involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit passports. The operation, which caused damages exceeding 30 million baht, had its manufacturing hub in the Dominican Republic before smuggling the fake documents into Thailand.

 

Today, July 10, the Immigration Bureau held a press conference to announce the arrest of 44 year old Artem, a Russian national. He was detained under an arrest warrant issued by the Bangkok South Criminal Court for making, importing, and selling counterfeit passports. The investigation revealed that the gang was part of a larger transnational criminal organisation.

 

The investigation began when officers from the Immigration Division 4, working with the Transnational Crime Investigation Division, received photographs of counterfeit US passports. The anomalies in the passport images raised suspicions, prompting officials to contact the Overseas Criminal Investigations Unit (OCI) of the United States in Thailand. The OCI confirmed that the passports were indeed fake.

 

Further inquiries revealed that the gang advertised their services on platforms like VK, Telegram, WhatsApp, and their website, claiming they could produce passports from 15 countries through legitimate means.

 

Payments were made via digital currency accounts, and a company was established in Thailand to add credibility to their operations.

 

Many victims, deceived by these claims, either never received their passports or received counterfeit ones. The fake passports were shipped from the Dominican Republic through the courier company FedEx. The investigation identified Artem as the leader of the operation in Thailand.

 

Armed with evidence, police and immigration officers sought and obtained a warrant from the Bangkok South Criminal Court to conduct a search and arrest the gang leader.

 

Artem was apprehended at his condominium in Bang Rak, Bangkok. Seized during the arrest were mobile phones, a laptop, bank books, and foreign credit cards. The investigation uncovered a well-organised operation with distinct roles, with associates in the Dominican Republic producing counterfeit passports, while Artem handled advertising, victim communication, and financial transactions, reported KhaoSod.

 

By Ryan Turner

Image courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-07-10

 

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Victim communication? Isn't that a reserved occupation?

If he's found to be guilty, long prison term will only too lienian for him, people like him facilitate criminals and

terrorists in committing their dirty deeds which includes fraud and murder on international scale...

The police were taking no chances with this dude. The cop on the left has his gun drawn and cocked.

Is that his bareback, big guy built for a PR role! 

8 minutes ago, ezzra said:

If he's found to be guilty, long prison term will only too lienian for him, people like him facilitate criminals and

terrorists in committing their dirty deeds which includes fraud and murder on international scale...

It will have no effect on the criminal organization, they will find more people to do their dirty work. You can't prosecute the mafia.

Fake A.I. picture. No 'tats' and no pointing !

Either ASEAN Now declines to publish stories on the bad deeds of other nationalities, or an extremely high percentage of Russians are really bad people, relative to everyone else.

8 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

It will have no effect on the criminal organization, they will find more people to do their dirty work. You can't prosecute the mafia.

Correct, the mafia will always be there, but at least let those involved know that once the get caught the will pay

dearly and let them think very carefully if they wanna take the chance...

Russia must be such a crime free country now. All the Russian criminals and bad characters seem to have moved to Thailand.

They invited Russia here, with an OLOA (open legs, open arms) policy. Anything goes. Favorable treatment. There is no way to describe how profound a mistake and error in judgment that was, knowing how high a percentage of the population (Russians with money) are involved in crime. It was an invitation for the Bratva to operate in Thailand. Not smart. 

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

They invited Russia here, with an OLOA (open legs, open arms) policy. Anything goes. Favorable treatment. There is no way to describe how profound a mistake and error in judgment that was, knowing how high a percentage of the population (Russians with money) are involved in crime. It was an invitation for the Bratva to operate in Thailand. Not smart. 

This was Phipats dream of revitalising tourism post Covid with the Phuket sandbox scheme...

Now he's the labour minister doing nothing.

Not sure if that was promotion or demotion, but it certainly brought him down to earth.

Now Thailand has to dealwith the implications of having so many Russians taking root.

43 minutes ago, ezzra said:

If he's found to be guilty, long prison term will only too lienian for him, people like him facilitate criminals and

terrorists in committing their dirty deeds which includes fraud and murder on international scale...

yeah... how dare he offer fake passports that were really fake. Hope he fries in hell for that. 

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

If he's found to be guilty, long prison term will only too lienian for him, people like him facilitate criminals and

terrorists in committing their dirty deeds which includes fraud and murder on international scale...

to get a long sentence here you need to use a Government vehicle to pick up your kids from school on three occasions (50year sentence).

1 hour ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

The police were taking no chances with this dude. The cop on the left has his gun drawn and cocked.

the guy centre reading the Warrant has his right hand steadying his trembling left.

Is this still possible unless your biometric data is not in the system already?  Anyways another entertaining story with the morning coffee.

You'll see, the same blond lady as yesterday as translater, it must be a russin.

Just now, Peterphuket said:

You'll see, the same blond lady as yesterday as translater, it must be a russin.

Today she is blurted out, but why?

1 hour ago, ChicagoExpat said:

Either ASEAN Now declines to publish stories on the bad deeds of other nationalities, or an extremely high percentage of Russians are really bad people, relative to everyone else.

My monies on the second one  

maybe they should consider a deep interpol / police check for russian long stay gangsters

Just now, Peterphuket said:

Today she is blurted out, but why?

Translators become targets for mafia killings for helping police. Same in Afghanistan.

He likes a game of Skittles in his spare time as well.

Off to the meat grinder to be shot or droned 

2 hours ago, ChicagoExpat said:

Either ASEAN Now declines to publish stories on the bad deeds of other nationalities, or an extremely high percentage of Russians are really bad people, relative to everyone else.

They are  

34 minutes ago, tandor said:

the guy centre reading the Warrant has his right hand steadying his trembling left.

 

And the guy on the right is comforting him... "nothing worry.... only 10 one hundred thousand baht and you free man"

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

If he's found to be guilty, long prison term will only too lienian for him, people like him facilitate criminals and

terrorists in committing their dirty deeds which includes fraud and murder on international scale...

He'll probably be extradited to the US since it concerns US passports, super-max for this Ivan. No doubt the heavy lifting in this investigation was done by the CIA.

46 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

48 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

You'll see, the same blond lady as yesterday as translater, it must be a russin.

Today she is blurted out, but why?

She must be making a good wage from her 'work'. Maybe the mafia will find her and take her out for betraying her countrymen. ........

I now wonder how many came through Thai Immigration on false US passports and were not noticed.......

Pretty sure if he pays enough money to the right people, he will be given a stern warning and set free.  No one really got hurt.  Money makes important people happy here.  This is the way.

30 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

He'll probably be extradited to the US since it concerns US passports, super-max for this Ivan. No doubt the heavy lifting in this investigation was done by the CIA.

 

It seems Thailand is one of the top countries in the world for extradition of criminals to the US. The FBI seems to be active in monitoring and coordinating with Thai police for capture of criminals perpetrating crimes against US.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Thailand

 

From wikipedia

"Foreign gangs and fugitives

Thailand has been described as a haven for criminals on the run from the law in their homelands.[50] Further, foreign criminal gangs have adopted Thailand as a base of operations. A 2014 study by the Thailand Institute of Justice identified 22 separate gangs of foreigners involved in identity fraud, petty theft, and burglary. Thailand's economic reliance on tourism[51] creates cover, crowds, and undocumented vice income, enabling foreign criminals to enter and remain in the country overstaying tourist visas. Bribery is frequently used to cement friendly relations with local officials, particularly the police. Their palms greased, police and immigration officials ignore wrongdoing.[50] "Thailand has traditionally been one of the top source countries for extradition of criminals to the U.S.," said a March 2009 cable from the American Embassy in Bangkok obtained by WikiLeaks.[52] "There are a number of minor reasons and one very major one why the jet-setting underground would find Thailand irresistible," according to Thailand-based British author Mr. John Burdett. "The minor ones would include guns, girls, gambling, ganja and gorgeous beaches, especially for those recently released from confinement." But, he said, what makes Thailand especially attractive, "is the ...compliant and bribable police force."[52]"