Nong Khai:- An Iranian man was arrested at the Nong Khai border checkpoint Monday when he crossed the border from Laos and produced a passport stolen from a British tourist.

The arrest of Alireza Motevalli, 30, was announced by Nong Khai Immigration chief Pol Col Pallop Suriyakul at the Nong Khai Immigration head office at noon.

Pallop said Motevalli produced a British passport No J 30565196 to immigration officials at the checkpoint but the officials used an online checking system and found that the passport belonged to Mary Floren Cathleen, who reported to the authorities in October last year that she had lost the passport.

Pallop said police checked Motevalli’s travel bag and found an Iranian passport in his name. Motevalli had received a tourist visa that was stamped in his Iranian passport.

Following an interrogation, Motevalli said he entered Thailand on a flight that landed at the Don Mueang International Airport. He would like to travel to England so hired a group of persons to make a fake passport for him. He had to pay the group US$12,000.

After he got the fake passport, Motevalli left Thailand to visit Laos, using his Iranian passport, Pallop said.

Then, he returned to Thailand using the fake British passport, hoping that he would get a visa stamp from the Thai immigration officials to certify that he had entered Thailand legally. He hoped to use the visa stamp as a proof of his identify so that he could travel to England.

Although the Laotian has stamped exit visa on the fake passport, Motevalli was arrested by the Nong Khai immigration officials.

He was charged with theft or purchasing a stolen item and using a fake passport.

Look like things may have tightened up a wee notch or two, since the 2 stolen tourist passports (one was a young Italian fellow) from Phuket were used by alleged terrorists ( DUH..) to board the ill-fated Malaysian airliner.. B M!

immigration on the ball

An Iranian man stole a woman's passport and then presented that to immigration?

Does the guy look like a woman then?

Or at least, I've never heard of a guy by the name of Mary.

And she has a big bushy beard

When God handed out "brains" this Iranian got on the line that said "trains." Traveling with a stolen woman's passport. Even Thais could catch this guy.

wear a hijab, niqab, and burka and he'd probably pass for a woman. Awfully hot in those robes.

An Iranian man stole a woman's passport and then presented that to immigration?

Does the guy look like a woman then?

Or at least, I've never heard of a guy by the name of Mary.

Try and read and and understand the OP before posting