Thailand arrests three Iranians for suspected passport forgery

Mon Mar 14,10:02 AM ET

BANGKOK (AFP) - Three Iranian men were arrested in Thailand on suspicion of involvement in passport and document forgery.

Immigration authorities said the men, identified as Nurbakhsh Pana Hidoshanlou, 36, Amir Zargar Abdulhamid, 39, and Nordepul Derasahi, 34, were arrested in a Bangkok apartment Friday following a tip-off.

Police seized equipment for making false documents and 13 passports mainly from European countries including Sweden, Switzerland, Italy and Spain, as well as some immigration seals.

An investigation was under way to determine if the passports, including those of the three suspects, were legitimate or had been stolen or forged.

The three could face charges of document forgery which carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail. ***really? that's it??***

Last month Thai police arrested a Spaniard and a Dutchman suspected of forging 110 European passports to be smuggled out of the country.

And in January they arrested a Bangladeshi man accused of providing a fake passport to top Asian terror suspect Hambali, who was captured in Thailand in 2003.

The European Union has accused Thailand of being a hub for the forgery of official documents, which facilitates human trafficking around the globe.

Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade is controlled by foreigners.

keep up good workee!!

[The European Union has accused Thailand of being a hub for the forgery of official documents, which facilitates human trafficking around the globe.

Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade is controlled by foreigners.

This must be a first: something for which the Thai authorities don't want to claim hub status.

[The European Union has accused Thailand of being a hub for the forgery of official documents, which facilitates human trafficking around the globe.

Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade is controlled by foreigners.

This must be a first: something for which the Thai authorities don't want to claim hub status.

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Hub of artistic replication - sounds better, not?

[The European Union has accused Thailand of being a hub for the forgery of official documents, which facilitates human trafficking around the globe.

Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade is controlled by foreigners.

This must be a first: something for which the Thai authorities don't want to claim hub status.

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Hub of artistic replication - sounds better, not?

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I love the terminology so apt.

[The European Union has accused Thailand of being a hub for the forgery of official documents, which facilitates human trafficking around the globe.

Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade is controlled by foreigners.

This must be a first: something for which the Thai authorities don't want to claim hub status.

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...and the other first regarding this "hub", it's the first one that is legimately based upon reality and not fantasy.

The Thai's truly are world-class artisans when it comes to this.

"Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade is controlled by foreigners."

Is that supposed to be an excuse ?

The hub is still here whoever controls it.

The three could face charges of document forgery which carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail.  ***really? that's it??*** 

I'd bet it doesn't 'feel' like only three years when you're in.

Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade is controlled by foreigners.

That has never stopped them from acting before !

Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade is controlled by foreigners.

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That has never stopped them from acting before !

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Crime doesn't pay but the hours are good.

Thai authorities have countered by saying the trade is controlled by foreigners.

well, yeah - by foreigners. why should thais control it ? Very good development. btw, when US has hard-on on Iran, locals caught iranian criminals. what a coincedence!