Navy marines arrested in Cambodia with fake dollar notes valued at $7.5 million

[Lite Beer]

Navy marines arrested in Cambodia with fake dollar notes valued at $7.5 million
Panya Thiosangwan
Nitisak Setthasaengsri
Krissana Wilamas
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Royal Thai Navy has suspended from duty three marines after they were arrested in Cambodia for carrying fake US dollar banknotes.

The fake notes had a total face value of $7.6 million.

Navy secretary Rear Admiral Kan Dee-ubon yesterday said the three Thai marines from the Chanthaburi-Trat Border Protection Command were detained at a restaurant in Cambodia's Battambang on Friday.

"We won't protect them. But we will ask if the Cambodian authorities will send them back to Thailand to face further action here," Kan said.

He said if these three marines were found guilty in court, they would be dismissed from naval service.

An informed source said the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh was now in the process of coordinating with Cambodian authorities regarding this case. "The Foreign Ministry is already aware of the development," the source said.

Meanwhile, police arrested four Laotians early yesterday in the border province of Beung Kan for smuggling 495 kilos of marijuana into Thailand. The haul is worth about Bt14 million.

Police noticed a suspicious boat moving across the Mekong River towards Thailand at around 4am. This vessel stopped its engine about 100 metres before it reached the bank on the Thai side and three men on board began rowing the boat with oars instead. When it reached the bank, three other men showed up and unloaded some sacks.

Two of the six suspects rushed into the boat and sped away when police showed up. The sacks contain marijuana.

Those in police detention have reportedly confessed that they were promised Bt100,000 for delivering the marijuana to Thailand's South.

In the border province of Ubon Ratchathani, a Thai woman was arrested yesterday morning for having in her possession 13,838 meth-amphetamine tablets.

The suspect, Ua Mangkang, said she received Bt10,000 for smuggling the tablets. Ua lived in Laos with her Laotian husband.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Navy-marines-arrested-in-Cambodia-with-fake-dollar-30243750.html

-- The Nation 2014-09-21

[Fiddlesticks]

He said if these three marines were found guilty in court, they would be dismissed from naval service.

Ouch! These officials are really tough! There is a rumor that they will also be sent to bed without dessert. That will teach these bad boys not to try passing over 7 million dollars in counterfeit US currency. Talk about a deterrent!

[Seastallion]

Thai navy marines caught with $7.5 million fake US notes.....meanwhile, those Laotians are terrible drug smugglers, just look at the most recent two stories, we have Lao people everywhere smuggling drugs. Drugs, Lao drugs Lao, drugs drugs Lao......

Back to the main story......that's a lot of fake dollars to be carried by 3 men in a restaurant. Arrested after a tip-off or did they pass a dodgy-looking note? Where they on leave? Where they in uniform? What other connections are there? It would be nice to read the rest of the story.

[bristolgeoff]

I wonder how much they have passed out allready,before being caught

[NongKhaiKid]

They were arrested in Cambodiq but Thailand wants them back for ' further action ' here .

Lots of room to specuate why.

Surely a Cambodian trial and if convicted Cambodian jail time before any deal on them serving the balance of their sentence in Thailand.

[noitom]

If found guilty they should be more than just "dismissed" from service. They should be sentence to lengthy jail terms and have any pension and benefits revoked.

[clockman]

Notice how the headlines, do not say Thai!

[Robert2006]

The irony is that for one group of people it is legal to change the way a piece of paper looks and call it money, and for a different group that activity it’s a crime.

[kriswillems]

If they are guilty I hope they get punished in Cambodia and they receive the same punishment a Cambodian would get for such a crime.

I don't see the relation with Thailand. If I use fake dollars in the US, they don't send me to Mexico, right? I think the request made to Cambodia is highly unreasonable.

Edited September 21, 2014 by kriswillems

[EnzoRippo]

What a poor journalism!

What is the relation between fake $ and drugs?

In the West, trafficking money is far more serious than marijuana. I don't tell we are right, I just mention it should not be in the same article.

Then, how a Thai journalist cannot be shocked by the way the Navy treats this problem: suspension + spend the jail term "at home", in all meanings? Kind of impunity? We'll read the Cambodian press tomorrow even if the real victim is not Cambodia, this is more the fellows in rural areas and the USA.

[DEQ]

Because USD is the dominant cash in Cambodia, the locals are pretty good at spotting fake ones.

[Bluespunk]

He said if these three marines were found guilty in court, they would be dismissed from naval service.

Ouch! These officials are really tough! There is a rumor that they will also be sent to bed without dessert. That will teach these bad boys not to try passing over 7 million dollars in counterfeit US currency. Talk about a deterrent!

I don't think they are saying that is all that would happen. They are distancing themselves from these guys.

The courts will decide on their sentence, all the navy is saying is they are guilty we will dismiss them.

They are not claiming that will be their sentence if found guilty.

[Bluespunk]

If found guilty they should be more than just "dismissed" from service. They should be sentence to lengthy jail terms and have any pension and benefits revoked.

Where does the article say they won't be?

[Sayonarax]

Next time you better share with your Khmer friends..

[Fiddlesticks]

He said if these three marines were found guilty in court, they would be dismissed from naval service.

Ouch! These officials are really tough! There is a rumor that they will also be sent to bed without dessert. That will teach these bad boys not to try passing over 7 million dollars in counterfeit US currency. Talk about a deterrent!

I don't think they are saying that is all that would happen. They are distancing themselves from these guys.

The courts will decide on their sentence, all the navy is saying is they are guilty we will dismiss them.

They are not claiming that will be their sentence if found guilty.

You're right of course. I would expect they would also be transferred!

[luckyman]

This kind of amount is huge, would be interesting to find out exactly where they got them and who actually printed them?

[Bluespunk]

He said if these three marines were found guilty in court, they would be dismissed from naval service.

Ouch! These officials are really tough! There is a rumor that they will also be sent to bed without dessert. That will teach these bad boys not to try passing over 7 million dollars in counterfeit US currency. Talk about a deterrent!

I don't think they are saying that is all that would happen. They are distancing themselves from these guys.

The courts will decide on their sentence, all the navy is saying is they are guilty we will dismiss them.

They are not claiming that will be their sentence if found guilty.

You're right of course. I would expect they would also be transferred!

I don't think you can be dismissed and transferred, unless they are transferred to gaol of course.

Wonder where they got the money from? Someone might not be too pleased with them right now.

[Artisi]

Caught in Cambodia - trail, verdict, and sentence in Cambodia if found guilty. Absolutely nothing to do with Thailand.

[lostinisaan]

Meanwhile, police arrested four Laotians early yesterday in the border province of Beung Kan for smuggling 495 kilos of marijuana into Thailand. The haul is worth about Bt14 million.

Maybe for the foreign customers in Pattaya only.

He said if these three marines were found guilty in court, they would be dismissed from naval service.

Or, they'll be sent to an inactive post at the Khurusapha for foreign teachers.

[FangFerang]

Counterfeiting is an attack on a country. Counterfeiting has invoked airstrikes.

The article blithely comments that the Thai authorities want the criminals back and will not protect them.

Then, they even mixed up drug interdiction stories to try and dilute the napalm! But napalm is not water soluble. In military parlance, this is FUBAR.

The US will take this much more seriously than human trafficking, and even now those smart nasty people who are an important part of every government are discussing options over the morning briefs. I am certain that "terminate with extreme prejudice" will be a fielded suggestion. This will invoke a severe and harsh response, and the response will not be public.

Idiots. You opened a can of worms that was filled with baby vipers. Mark my words, a very dangerous line has been crossed, and there is no face -saving exit for the Thai Navy on this one.

The Thai Navy is in dire need of a good house cleaning. Since it is obvious they can't handle the bleach and Windex, I am certain someone else will.

!!

Edited September 21, 2014 by FangFerang

[Thaimaishoe]

If they are guilty I hope they get punished in Cambodia and they receive the same punishment a Cambodian would get for such a crime.

I don't see the relation with Thailand. If I use fake dollars in the US, they don't send me to Mexico, right? I think the request made to Cambodia is highly unreasonable.

No, but if you try to use fake Pesos in the US, they will. After they get up off the floor from laughing at someone trying to use pesos in the US that is!! :-) AND after the 20 years you get for counterfeiting in the US, does not matter what currency you were trying to pass.

If you reverse that, and try to use fake USD in Mexico the US authorities will take note, and possibly have you extradited. It depends on the extradition treaty arangements the US has with Thailand if this will apply here. These guys will DEFINITELY be getting a visit from the US Secret Service, who will also try and track down the big boys of the operation.

They are very serious about maintaining the integrity of the USD money supply. And every country that uses the USD or is in some way affected by the US economy (ie everyone), has a vested interest in that stability too, so cooperation is not a problem.

[DEQ]

According to a Cambodian news source, the men were followed from the border crossing after a tip-off. One of the men is stated to be a Thai border guard captain, no information on the other two, no mention of navy marines. It was said they hoped to pass off the fake $100 bills to naive country folk in rural Cambodia. Also stated this was the biggest ever counterfeiting bust in Cambodia. It said the expected prison term is 5 to 10 years.

Edit - sorry USA news source, not Cambodian. Am I allowed to say ABC?

Edited September 21, 2014 by DEQ

[55Jay]

These marines are like the guys in the boat bringing marijuana across the river. Tip of the iceberg indeed.

$7.6m is a pretty hefty amount to be transporting. Article doesn't indicate in which direction the "funds" here headed when the marines got arrested. Produced in LOS for sale/use in Cambodia, or produced there for exchange into Baht here? Could of been a dodgy pay off for a drug shipment. Who knows. Be interesting to learn more in time, unless this case gets disappeared into the media black hole.

[Commerce]

This kind of amount is huge, would be interesting to find out exactly where they got them and who actually printed them?

Canon can.

[tomyummer]

I guarantee these three marines will meet some horrible 'accident' before they can give up the lists of people at the top who were most likely involved.

[Thai at Heart]

7.5mn fake USD.

Hohum.....

<deleted>?

[heybruce]

According to a Cambodian news source, the men were followed from the border crossing after a tip-off. One of the men is stated to be a Thai border guard captain, no information on the other two, no mention of navy marines. It was said they hoped to pass off the fake $100 bills to naive country folk in rural Cambodia. Also stated this was the biggest ever counterfeiting bust in Cambodia. It said the expected prison term is 5 to 10 years.

Edit - sorry USA news source, not Cambodian. Am I allowed to say ABC?

I don't think there are any TV restrictions on posting a link to an ABC story. I would like more information; if this money originated in Thailand and there is a Thai officer involved there is much more to it than the Nation story reported.

[NongKhaiKid]

Bluespunk said someone will be upset with the 3 and I suggest more than a little worried they start talking.

It's likely they were couriers as counterfeiters stay in the background, get paid for their work and others circulate the fake notes.

Their associates have a lot to worry about and possibly, just possibly, even more so if they are military personnel too, are senior officials or the infamous ' influential persons '.

[Patje]

I'd say hand them over to Uncle Sam, since it was US money they were using !!

They will know what to do with clowns like that ...

[ggold]

They were arrested in Cambodiq but Thailand wants them back for ' further action ' here .

Lots of room to specuate why.

Surely a Cambodian trial and if convicted Cambodian jail time before any deal on them serving the balance of their sentence in Thailand.

Someone wants their fake dollars back!