Three Arrested In Bangkok For Fake Dollars

[george]

Fake money used in Malaysia leads to arrest of three in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Three African men, including a professional soccer player, have pleaded guilty to counterfeiting U.S. dollars, later selling them to undercover Thai police, a police officer said Friday.

Police launched an investigation leading to the suspects after they allegedly exchanged about 2 million baht (US$52,000; euro39,000) worth of fake U.S. bank notes with a victim who learned the money were counterfeit when he tried to use it in neighbouring Malaysia.

The suspects were identified as Jerry Prince, 23, of Nigeria; Elvis Tumbi, 32, of Cameroon; and Joseph Suekam, 40, of Ghana.

Prince was a professional soccer player who had been on the Telephone Organisation of Thailand's team since early 2004, said Police Maj. Gen. Phanya Manan.

His visa was also expired and he is charged with being in the country illegally, an earlier police statement said.

About a dozen African footballers are playing for several clubs in Thailand, and Phayna said their activities are being closely monitored since hundreds of African nationals have been arrested in recent years for drugs trafficking and money counterfeiting.

The trio were arrested at Bangkok's international airport Wednesday as they were handing over the fake dollars to plainclothes policemen posing as customers, the general said.

The police seized US$10,000 in fake bills.

The three later pleaded guilty to counterfeiting and using Thailand as a springboard to sell counterfeit dollars in the region, Phanya said.

They face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

-- AP 2005-02-25

[george]

Court detains Nigerian footballer on charges of banknote forgery

BANGKOK: -- Police in Bangkok's Don Muang district today obtained a court order for the detention of a Nigerian footballer suspected of counterfeiting US dollars.

The 23 year-old Bangkok-based Nigerian, who plays as a rightback for the TOT Corporation Club in the Thai League, was arrested alongside a Cameroonian and a Ghanaian national, and will be detained for 12 days, while the police will interview more witnesses.

Bail was refused for the three men, all of whom are said to be illegal immigrants.

Tourist police officers made the arrest on 23 February, when an informant said that three foreign nationals had contacted him offering him cut-price US dollars.

Posing as a customer, the informant met the three men at Bangkok's Don Muang Airport, where police were waiting to arrest them.

Police said that the men had been in possession of 100 counterfeit USD100 banknotes, and that they had confessed to counterfeiting the money.

--TNA 2005-02-25

[Pattaya_Fox]

Court detains Nigerian footballer on charges of banknote forgery

BANGKOK: -- Police in Bangkok's Don Muang district today obtained a court order for the detention of a Nigerian footballer suspected of counterfeiting US dollars.

The 23 year-old Bangkok-based Nigerian, who plays as a rightback for the TOT Corporation Club in the Thai League, was arrested alongside a Cameroonian and a Ghanaian national, and will be detained for 12 days, while the police will interview more witnesses.

Bail was refused for the three men, all of whom are said to be illegal immigrants.

Tourist police officers made the arrest on 23 February, when an informant said that three foreign nationals had contacted him offering him cut-price US dollars.

Posing as a customer, the informant met the three men at Bangkok's Don Muang Airport, where police were waiting to arrest them.

Police said that the men had been in possession of 100 counterfeit USD100 banknotes, and that they had confessed to counterfeiting the money.

--TNA 2005-02-25

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder if the counterfeiting had been `top notch` whether we would have heard anything more about it......they must have been of a poor standard otherwise they would not have needed to arrange for buyers, as they could I assume have changed them themselves..

[sriracha john]

Nigeria's soccer team in the Bangkok Prison just got better.