Immigration Arrests Foreign Nationals with Fake Passports at Suvarnabhumi Airport

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Immigration officers on 8 March, have arrested two foreign nationals attempting to leave the country using counterfeit Spanish passports. The suspects admitted they had hoped that successfully passing through Thailand would make it easier for them to enter Europe for work.

 

Under the orders of Lieutenant General Panumas Boonyaluck, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, Police Major General Cherngron Rimpadee, Commander of Immigration Division 2, instructed airport immigration officers to intensify screening procedures to detect foreign nationals who may pose security risks.

 

During routine exit screening at Suvarnabhumi Airport, immigration officers became suspicious of two travellers:

 

• Mr. El Asyly Ismail, 30 years old

• Mr. El Wannasse Abdelmalek, 24 years old

 

Both were holding Spanish passports and checking in for a flight with Oman Airlines at 07:50, then on to Europe. Upon closer inspection, the passports displayed irregularities, including suspicious entry stamps from Don Mueang Airport immigration. The officers detained the individuals and transferred them to Immigration Division 2’s investigative team for further examination.

 

A detailed biometric check revealed no records of their entry into Thailand, on the passports. Additionally, their passports lacked standard security features such as watermarks, and the font and stamp design appeared inconsistent with genuine Spanish passports.

 

A search of their belongings uncovered genuine Moroccan passports, confirming that both suspects had entered Thailand legally on 24 February via Suvarnabhumi Airport under a visa-free entry scheme.

 

During questioning, the two men confessed that their Spanish passports were counterfeit, procured through a Moroccan agent for 7 million Moroccan dirhams each. Their travel route included stops in Istanbul (Turkey) and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) before arriving in Thailand. They had stayed within the airport terminal and prayer areas before attempting to board a flight to Spain, where they planned to seek employment.

 

The suspects explained that they chose Thailand as a transit point instead of flying directly to Europe because European immigration authorities tend to trust passengers screened through Thailand’s strict security measures.

 

Both individuals were handed over to Suvarnabhumi Police Station for legal proceedings.

 

Police Major General Cherngron Rimpadee emphasised that the Immigration Bureau is intensifying scrutiny at all checkpoints, particularly for individuals abusing the visa-free entry scheme. Special attention is being given to those who:

 

• Make frequent in-and-out trips that do not align with legitimate tourism or short-term business visits.

 

• Have suspicious travel histories, such as frequent entries into neighbouring countries with casinos.

 

• Lack clear travel itineraries or accommodation details.

 

On average, Thai immigration denies entry to 400–500 foreign nationals per month due to security concerns.

 

Despite stricter screening, airport immigration authorities reaffirmed their commitment to facilitating smooth entry for genuine tourists and investors, ensuring that Thailand remains an attractive and secure destination for international visitors.

 

-- 2025-03-09

 

[Tropicalevo]

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The suspects explained that they chose Thailand as a transit point instead of flying directly to Europe because European immigration authorities tend to trust passengers screened through Thailand’s strict security measures.

 

Well, they were not wrong in this instance.

[Gsxrnz]

"The suspects explained that they chose Thailand as a transit point instead of flying directly to Europe because European immigration authorities tend to trust passengers screened through Thailand’s strict security measures."

 

Some people will believe just about anything. 

[Jone500]

Sent them to England rather than back to Oman.

[Nick Carter icp]

That's a long way to go from Morocco to Spain 

[CallumWK]

13 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

would make it easier for them to enter Europe for work.

 

Sure for work

[lordgrinz]

23 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

.A detailed biometric check revealed no records of their entry into Thailand

 

A search of their belongings uncovered genuine Moroccan passports, confirming that both suspects had entered Thailand legally on 24 February via Suvarnabhumi Airport under a visa-free entry scheme.

 

What?! How did they enter without biometrics?

[ignore it]

Seems like they got ripped off.

Current exchange for 7 million Moroccan Didlyums is:

• $690,000 USD
• €635,000 EUR
• £540,000 GBP

[LukKrueng]

11 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

 

What?! How did they enter without biometrics?

They entered using their real passports. It's in the OP 

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, Jone500 said:

Sent them to England rather than back to Oman.

 

 

They'd fit in nicely

[lordgrinz]

37 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

They entered using their real passports. It's in the OP 

 

Duh! But the biometrics didn't find them, so what use are they?

[StayinThailand2much]

On 3/9/2025 at 3:50 AM, Georgealbert said:

During questioning, the two men confessed that their Spanish passports were counterfeit, procured through a Moroccan agent for 7 million Moroccan dirhams each. Their travel route included stops in Istanbul (Turkey) and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) before arriving in Thailand.

 

Morocco - Istanbul - Abu Dhabi - Bangkok - Spain... quite a detour to get there. Why didn't they just get on a boat like everyone else? 😆

[Captain Flack]

A troll post has been removed. 
 

@Yagoda this is the Thai News Section, not a place for you political nonsense.

[khunjeff]

1 hour ago, LukKrueng said:

They entered using their real passports. It's in the OP 

 

I'm pretty sure their faces and fingerprints remain the same regardless of which passport they're using, which is kind of the point of biometrics - they should have been flagged and identified immediately as soon as their fingers were scanned.

[khunjeff]

1 hour ago, ignore it said:

Seems like they got ripped off.

Current exchange for 7 million Moroccan Didlyums is:

• $690,000 USD
• €635,000 EUR
• £540,000 GBP

 

That isn't the only claim from the police about this case that seems odd...

 

On 3/9/2025 at 4:20 AM, Georgealbert said:

their passports lacked standard security features such as watermarks, and the font and stamp design appeared inconsistent with genuine Spanish passports

 

Virtually no one tries to use completely counterfeit passports, which is what they're describing here. With all the fancy security features in modern passports, a total fake can be spotted with the naked eye. If they really bought homemade passports (as opposed to real documents with a substituted photo, or from a holder with a similar appearance), they weren't very bright. 

 

On 3/9/2025 at 4:20 AM, Georgealbert said:

They had stayed within the airport terminal and prayer areas before attempting to board a flight to Spain

 

They spent two weeks in Thailand and have entry records, so this doesn't appear to be accurate...and they were trying to board a flight to Oman, not Spain. The police seem to have mixed things up a bit in the process of trying to make their interception appear more heroic.

[Yagoda]

2 hours ago, ignore it said:

Seems like they got ripped off.

Current exchange for 7 million Moroccan Didlyums is:

• $690,000 USD
• €635,000 EUR
• £540,000 GBP

Where did they get the money? I hope the Thais asked. They might be more than what they say they are.

[Liverpool Lou]

51 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Morocco - Istanbul - Abu Dhabi - Bangkok - Spain... quite a detour to get there. Why didn't they just get on a boat like everyone else? 😆

They had no need to slum it in a boat full of illegals when they both could afford to spend B24m on "Spanish" passports, allegedly.

[Liverpool Lou]

28 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

 

I'm pretty sure their faces and fingerprints remain the same regardless of which passport they're using, which is kind of the point of biometrics - they should have been flagged and identified immediately as soon as their fingers were scanned.

Flagged for what on entering Thailand legally?

[LukKrueng]

4 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Duh! But the biometrics didn't find them, so what use are they?

The OP mentioned the game passports are of very poor quality so my guess is that their fingerprints didn't match the ones on the game passports and according to the OP that's what got them caught, Duh!

[LukKrueng]

4 hours ago, khunjeff said:

 

I'm pretty sure their faces and fingerprints remain the same regardless of which passport they're using, which is kind of the point of biometrics - they should have been flagged and identified immediately as soon as their fingers were scanned.

I'm pretty sure the biometric system compares the biometrics of the person in front of the io with the details on the passport and not searching billions of records on a server every time.

[lordgrinz]

1 minute ago, LukKrueng said:

The OP mentioned the game passports are of very poor quality so my guess is that their fingerprints didn't match the ones on the game passports and according to the OP that's what got them caught, Duh!

 

Duh! Biometrics were (we hope) saved when they scaned them in against the Moroccan passports, and then should be found when they were arrested. Duh!

[Patong2021]

I would consider  terrorism as a motive.

[LukKrueng]

14 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Duh! Biometrics were (we hope) saved when they scaned them in against the Moroccan passports, and then should be found when they were arrested. Duh!

You’ve probably already used e-passport gates when entering a country – these match the picture in your passport against the face staring into the camera, and read the other information contained in it, such as your nationality.

 

Source: https://www.businesstraveller.com/features/airport-facial-recognition-what-you-need-to-kno

w/

[lordgrinz]

1 hour ago, LukKrueng said:

You’ve probably already used e-passport gates when entering a country – these match the picture in your passport against the face staring into the camera, and read the other information contained in it, such as your nationality.

 

Source: https://www.businesstraveller.com/features/airport-facial-recognition-what-you-need-to-kno

w/

 

Yes, but what we are saying is that if they scan the faces or fingerprints they should come up under the stored biometrics database, thus giving them when and where they entered and under what passport. Otherwise, what real use is the system? It appears they had to find their real passports first, then put 2+2 together, a completely bonkers way of using the system.

[LukKrueng]

2 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Yes, but what we are saying is that if they scan the faces or fingerprints they should come up under the stored biometrics database, thus giving them when and where they entered and under what passport. Otherwise, what real use is the system? It appears they had to find their real passports first, then put 2+2 together, a completely bonkers way of using the system.

They could have had multiple citizenships\passports as many members of AN. And yes, if you enter using different passports with name and DOB there same - the system can (and as some posters here reported) link the passports. But they used fake passports, probably with different names and DOB. If the system had to go through the full database for each and every passenger the lines at immigration will stand forever. So the logical way is 1st compare what's on the passport to the person in front. If there's a problem you take that person to the side and dig deeper - just as happened in this case. They got caught. The system works.

[lordgrinz]

1 hour ago, LukKrueng said:

They could have had multiple citizenships\passports as many members of AN. And yes, if you enter using different passports with name and DOB there same - the system can (and as some posters here reported) link the passports. But they used fake passports, probably with different names and DOB. If the system had to go through the full database for each and every passenger the lines at immigration will stand forever. So the logical way is 1st compare what's on the passport to the person in front. If there's a problem you take that person to the side and dig deeper - just as happened in this case. They got caught. The system works.

 

Again, they didn't catch them based on biometrics, they only figured out who they were after physically finding their REAL passports. Without the REAL passports they wouldn't know who they were, or when when and where they entered, because biometrics failed to identify them. The system is useless.

[CallumWK]

6 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Duh! Biometrics were (we hope) saved when they scaned them in against the Moroccan passports, and then should be found when they were arrested. Duh!

 

Duh

 

On 3/9/2025 at 4:20 AM, Georgealbert said:

Upon closer inspection, the passports displayed irregularities, including suspicious entry stamps from Don Mueang Airport immigration. The officers detained the individuals and transferred them to Immigration Division 2’s investigative team for further examination.

A detailed biometric check revealed no records of their entry into Thailand, on the passports. Additionally, their passports lacked standard security features such as watermarks, and the font and stamp design appeared inconsistent with genuine Spanish passports.

 

[lordgrinz]

28 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

Duh

 

 

 

Did you read the whole article, or are you being deliberately obtuse?