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Two Israelis Arrested for Exchanging Fake Dollars on Koh Samui

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Pictures courtesy of Daily News

 

Authorities on Koh Samui have arrested two Israeli nationals accused of using counterfeit US dollar banknotes to exchange for Thai currency, which also exposed weaknesses in a local bank’s detection system. The arrests were carried out by Surat Thani Immigration Police and Bo Phut Police Station officers following reports from the Government Savings Bank (GSB) exchange booth at Samui International Airport.

 

Pol Col Naruwat Phutthawiro, Chief of Surat Thani Immigration, confirmed on October 12 that Matan Moshe Vahav, 25 and Omer Sarusi, 28, were apprehended under court warrants after allegedly exchanging 15 counterfeit US$50 bills. The two men were taken into custody at a villa in Moo 5, Bo Phut subdistrict.

 

The incident began on October 6, when the suspects exchanged the forged notes, Vahav five bills worth 7,280 baht, and Sarusi ten bills worth 14,560 baht. Initially, the fake banknotes went undetected because the airport exchange booth’s verification software had not been updated, allowing the counterfeit dollars to pass as genuine. The fraud was discovered three days later, on October 9, when the GSB Central Samui branch manager reviewed the transactions and found all 15 notes to be fake.

 

Bank officials handed over the counterfeit notes, along with copies of the suspects’ passports and transaction receipts, to police investigators. CCTV footage from the airport confirmed both men had conducted the exchanges. Following the discovery, the Koh Samui Provincial Courtissued arrest warrants No. 341/2568 and 342/2568, leading to the swift capture of both individuals.

 

During the arrest, police seized additional cash, 48 US$100 notes, 17 US$50 notes, and 3 US$1 notes, totalling US$5,653, along with a tablet. Both men denied the allegations, claiming they had received the US dollars from an uncle in Israel for travel expenses and were unaware the money was counterfeit. They stated they had previously exchanged similar notes in Bangkok without issue.

 

The two suspects were transferred to Bo Phut Police Station to face charges of forging and possessing counterfeit foreign government banknotes. Investigators are now analysing the seized electronic device to try to trace the source of the counterfeit bills and determine whether the men are linked to a wider international counterfeiting network.

 

The case has raised questions about security lapses in Thailand’s foreign exchange systems, particularly regarding outdated counterfeit detection software used in airport booths. Banking authorities are reviewing procedures to prevent future incidents involving fake foreign currency.

 

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Key Takeaways

 

• Two Israeli nationals were arrested on Koh Samui after exchanging fake US$50 bills undetected by outdated bank software.

• Police seized counterfeit currency and a tablet for digital evidence review.

• Investigations are ongoing to trace the source of the fake notes and assess system security flaws.

 

Related Stories

 

Police-probe-Israeli-visitors-on-Phangan-over-business-concerns

 

Indian-man-on-bail-arrested-again-for-selling-hashish-on-Phangan

 

image.png  Adapted by Asean Now from Dailynews 2025-10-13

 

 

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  • Shouldn't they be in Gaza cleaning up?

  • Israeli nationals have talent to provoke anti-Jews feeling.

  • Grandpa Cool
    Grandpa Cool

    They will be enjoying a prolonged stay in the Koh Samui Detention Centre. Lucky for them they'll be enjoying the company of more of their compatriots as Thai Police and Immigration Dept officials focu

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Shouldn't they be in Gaza cleaning up?

Why would you do it at Airport exchanges? CCTV everywhere

 

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Revoke the visa....and off they go.

Maybe for rebuilding Gaza

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They will be enjoying a prolonged stay in the Koh Samui Detention Centre. Lucky for them they'll be enjoying the company of more of their compatriots as Thai Police and Immigration Dept officials focus on the huge influx of Israelis on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. 

 

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On 10/13/2025 at 4:11 AM, Georgealbert said:

Both men denied the allegations, claiming they had received the US dollars from an uncle in Israel for travel expenses and were unaware the money was counterfeit

Uncle BS

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They said they got it from bank before and now it's their uncle .

Jail them for 5 year each and ban for life .

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Israeli nationals have talent to provoke anti-Jews feeling.

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Yeah....allways this Uncle in Israel:clap2:

This story would worry me if I were to visit the U.S. and the exchange gave me fake notes. Is it easy to tell they are fake, because i don't know.

13 minutes ago, Purdey said:

This story would worry me if I were to visit the U.S. and the exchange gave me fake notes. Is it easy to tell they are fake, because i don't know.


The American 100.00 bill is the most counterfeited note in the world, especially the new one.
They pass the pen test, UV light and the security strip.
I would not take American money from anywhere but a bank

5 hours ago, Bruce1054 said:

Shouldn't they be in Gaza cleaning up?

Israelis in crime news just about everyday now in Pattaya and Phuket, what do they do at home?

Don't think they will lift one finger to clean up Gazza

4 hours ago, Look Chang said:

Israeli nationals have talent to provoke anti-Jews feeling.

 

    When Thais misbehave , do you have anti Buddhist feelings ?

35 minutes ago, the_best_of_me said:

2 Israeli in jail...uncle Bibi to follow soon

That won't happen, unfortunately...arrogant scumbags, all of them.

4 minutes ago, diveasia666 said:

That won't happen, unfortunately...arrogant scumbags, all of them.

All who?

6 hours ago, ronster said:

They said they got it from bank before and now it's their uncle .

Jail them for 5 year each and ban for life .

As Israelis, they probably have a double Nationality. Depending on the passport, they used to come in ? They can use the other to come back, I think.

8 minutes ago, off road pat said:

As Israelis, they probably have a double Nationality. Depending on the passport, they used to come in ? They can use the other to come back, I think.

 

   As long as they change their face and fingers so that facial recognition and finger print scanners don't catch them 

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7 minutes ago, off road pat said:

As Israelis, they probably have a double Nationality. Depending on the passport, they used to come in ? They can use the other to come back, I think.

To be clear, this reply is with regard to *anyone* with more than one passport.
I think the biometric testing (facial recognition and fingerprinting) upon arrival will out them, regardless of what document they provide - even if they change their names back in their home country and get a new passport or, as you suggest, use a passport from another country.

29 minutes ago, The Oracle said:

To be clear, this reply is with regard to *anyone* with more than one passport.
I think the biometric testing (facial recognition and fingerprinting) upon arrival will out them, regardless of what document they provide - even if they change their names back in their home country and get a new passport or, as you suggest, use a passport from another country.

So how did it miss the guy that was running a bike rental business in koh phangan.

He was kicked out and banned for doing the same thing less than a year ago , yet he was caught in koh phangan running the same type of business a few days ago .

So they're telling us Jews are crazy smart, an intellectual people of overachievers. Yet they provide their REAL passport details at an airport full of cameras to exchange their fake banknotes?

 

How dumb can you get?

8 minutes ago, off road pat said:

As Israelis, they probably have a double Nationality. Depending on the passport, they used to come in ? They can use the other to come back, I think.

More garbage.

Thai Immigration isn't that incompetent and also thanks for spreading another demonization trope. Was that fun for you,?

According to this only about 10 percent of Israelis hold dual nationality.

 

https://legalclarity.org/how-many-israelis-are-dual-citizens/

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   As long as they change their face and fingers so that facial recognition and finger print scanners don't catch them 

Those inscrutable Jews!

4 more arrested last night in phangan for drug use too.

31 minutes ago, ronster said:

So how did it miss the guy that was running a bike rental business in koh phangan.

He was kicked out and banned for doing the same thing less than a year ago , yet he was caught in koh phangan running the same type of business a few days ago .

They often give options to buy your way out in the south unlike elsewhere in TH, where you would not be able to do that for such offenses.

26 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

So they're telling us Jews are crazy smart, an intellectual people of overachievers. Yet they provide their REAL passport details at an airport full of cameras to exchange their fake banknotes?

 

How dumb can you get?

Who's telling you?

So two alleged criminal.Jews represent all Jews, do they?

1 hour ago, off road pat said:

As Israelis, they probably have a double Nationality. Depending on the passport, they used to come in ? They can use the other to come back, I think.

The biometric scans of fingerprints will link the 2 passports if they change over to another pp

17 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Who's telling you?

So two alleged criminal.Jews represent all Jews, do they?

 

So when they do stupid sh%£ like this they don't represent all jews, but when they win a Nobel Prize, then they represent all jews.

 

Got it.

45 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

So they're telling us Jews are crazy smart, an intellectual people of overachievers. Yet they provide their REAL passport details at an airport full of cameras to exchange their fake banknotes?

 

How dumb can you get?

Why don’t you believe that “uncle” explanation? It actually sounds pretty plausible.

20 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Who's telling you?

So two alleged criminal.Jews represent all Jews, do they?

Well I can testify that over 90% of the ones I see in the south are nothing close from smart and they behave like teenagers or animals even they are often late 20s and early 30s. It annoys everyone. Must be some very old propaganda to think they are smart or intellectual lol, most can't even speak basic english.

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