Norwegian Man Arrested With False Passports

[george]

Norwegian man arrested with false passports

Allegedly used them to escape drug charges in his home country

PATTAYA: A joint operation between the foreign crime suppression unit and Pattaya Tourist Police led to the arrest of a 39-year-old Norwegian national in Pattaya. The man, identified as Stein Andersen, was found to be in possession of three fake passports and illegally residing in the kingdom on an expired visa.

Andersen is married to a Thai lady, has two children with her and is currently building a house in the northeastern province of Buriram. He fled to Thailand on a fake Estonian passport, allegedly to evade drug charges in Norway.

Anderson confessed to police and told them that a Norwegian acquaintance had obtained the passport for the equivalent of 400,000 baht so he could escape charges for selling marijuana in his home country.

Police confiscated three bogus passports and charged Anderson with illegally residing in the kingdom on false travel documents before transferring him to Norwegian authorities to face trial.

--Pattaya Mail 2003-12-05