Iranian man arrested with over 1,000 fake passports

[Suradit69]

This guy could be a network hub for global terrorists. It should motivate the Thais to launch a full scale investigation and shake him down for his Thai big men connections.

Using techniques I've learned from reading gangster books and watching movies I could have him singing like a canary in a very short time.

"...from reading gangster books and watching movies ..."

You forgot to mention all the big league crime investigation techniques you must have picked up right here at TV from the resident police procedural experts and Bar Stool Crime Scene Investigators (BS-CSI).

[SymS]

If anyone ever doubted: Iran=State sponsored terrorism!!

Well done to the Thais to have got some of the bastards.

State sponsored? This guy was acting on his own... private business.

[siampolee]

Certainly seems to indicate a lack of vigilance by the authorities over the years.

With the current level of terrorism and its threats one is inclined to ask do the authorities here actually understand the implications of this forgers activities and the possible impact upon the local civil peace let alone international peace?

It seems as if now there has been a change in national administration some big fish are being reeled in,

When one views the past of the recently removed police chief in both professional(?) and obscene wealth categories one wonders whether or not the police and others in positions of power were also involved in protecting the forger or even as shareholders in his enterprise?

When one considers that some 1,000 plus forged passports,travel documents etc were at hand or ''in stock,'' we should ask just how many such items are in circulation due to the 20 year period on manufacture?

In my opinion there is indeed a massive web of corruption and deceit involving many layers and groups of assorted authority departments and personnel domestically and internationally that have led to the amazing career and the prodigious output of forged documents from the arrested person.

If as such an in depth investigation was to be conducted one must ask how high up would the ladder of corruption reach and how many countries and possibly diplomatic missions may well be involved?

Let us cast our minds back to the recent cases of missing visa blanks and missing passport blanks that Thai embassies have actually reported as ''missing.''

Indeed food for thought concerning the possible footprints that may lead to an open door of international and domestic terrorist activity support units.

[maidee]

he owns a lot of businesses, well that will make some people happy when they become the new owners, for free

caught with 1000+ passports, so how many did he forge in a 20 year span ?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

No mention about the bail status for this guy???

The prior passport forger who apparently snitched on him was let out on bail and fled the country.... as is alarmingly common.

Wanna bet the "justice" system manages to grant bail to this guy at some point, and we'll never hear of any final verdict/sentence in his case???

[Thaddeus]

If anyone ever doubted: Iran=State sponsored terrorism!!

Well done to the Thais to have got some of the bastards.

Most terrorism in the world is funded by other countries than Iran...

And that makes the terrorism funded by Iran somehow better does it?

Purleeze.

The two types of posts that really make the hairs on my neck stand up are.

1. If you don't like it, go home.

2. It happens everywhere.

My knee jerk response to those are.....

1. If my glass is still half full, why the heck should I?

2. It shouldn't happen there either.

[Si Thea01]

And of course, no Thai involved? Believe that. And you will believe anything!

It says that they had front businesses with Thais used as managers, messengers so yes Thai involvement but it was actually a fellow countryman, involved in the same business, who dobbed him in. Let's hope he's not granted bail, as he might do a runner like the other chap. It certainly appears that the various law enforcement bureaus are now operating professionally and effectively, something they certainly did not do before.

[sfokevin]

If anyone ever doubted: Iran=State sponsored terrorism!!

Well done to the Thais to have got some of the bastards.

Considering this guys ring has been in operation for a decade I wouldn't be handing out any medals for keen detective work...

[Tchooptip]

No mention about the bail status for this guy???

The prior passport forger who apparently snitched on him was let out on bail and fled the country.... as is alarmingly common.

Wanna bet the "justice" system manages to grant bail to this guy at some point, and we'll never hear of any final verdict/sentence in his case???

In recent years, Thai courts have sentenced at least nine Iranians from two gangs for making illegal passports in Thailand. Four persons, under a group led by a man called Tony, were sentenced to as many as 31 years in prison while persons in other groups were sentenced to not less than 10 years, she said.

[sabaii69]

This is an important arrest and another positive step in stopping Human Trafficking and most likely, terrorism.

Kudos tho Thailand for getting this done !!!

Now bring on the Thai bashing TV ... we can not WAIT for all your negative comments.

Very touchy. Hey, there are no Americans to bash but there will be a way

[SoFarAndNear]

Wouldnt be surprised if this guy is an Iranian Spy or at least works for Iranian intelligence...

[JohnnyHK]

I read somewhere that US, British, and Australian passports are worth up to 2000.00 USD on the black market. Like Sharky says, your passport is your freedom, don't give it to anyone!!!

I like that you don't have to carry your passport in Thailand and can just have a copy. I'm not sure that the safe in the hotel room is really that safe either though.

[pegman]

If anyone ever doubted: Iran=State sponsored terrorism!!

Well done to the Thais to have got some of the bastards.

Huh? Al Capone being Yank make USA mafia state? What is the proof it was done for terrorists or Iran? Sounds to me like an opinion from racist Faux News.

[gchurch259]

Me thinks ISIS is here and more to come, they are going to be everywhere soon ! As you know almost all the 9/11 terrorist came through Malaysia and Thailand in training for the 72 Virgins.

I bet they were disappointed when St Peter showed them the Down Elevator !!

Good job by the authorities !!

Dear General.PM, going to take more flushing than I initially thought. Keep going until the water is clear !! Thank you, I am not Thai, but my wife is and I want a better place for her and her son after I am in the "Big Hangar" in the sky.

[starchild5]

I read somewhere that US, British, and Australian passports are worth up to 2000.00 USD on the black market. Like Sharky says, your passport is your freedom, don't give it to anyone!!!

I like that you don't have to carry your passport in Thailand and can just have a copy. I'm not sure that the safe in the hotel room is really that safe either though.

Its more than that....The charm of west is so high in third world countries thanks to Hollywood that people are willing to cut their limbs and give kidney just to be in western countries.

90% of them would end up in Refugee Camps...Its harder for even Europeans to get a decent job now a days....Why do you think many Europeans prefer to JUMP than going back to Europe

Its all due to Ignorance and watching too much TV....I'm from third world country myself and I don't wanna end up in Europe even if you pay me... ..Its good for vacation sure but not a good place to live.....

The problem also is...People don't like to read books here....Just watch too much crap on TV, no job, no life and then decide...hmm...I saw in Hollywood movie...Amazing James Bond life style...I should try Europe too by forging passport.....Thats how twisted logic they have

If you have high ideals...Third world countries CAN provide you with two meals a day easily....Its the greed and better "LIFE" con that is the primary reason for them to immigrate...pure Ignorance...

[NextStationBangkok]

He could be a Mossart or an Iranian agent!

[ttthailand]

Now they will let this guy out on bail and he will be gone in a minute. Let's hope not !

[pomchop]

The worst part of the story is the human trafficking part. I once had the misfortune to know a guy in bangkok who was being paid to fly with thai girls to places like dubai and africa.....the girls were apparently tricked into thinking that they were going for a one year job as a maid or something and the guy traveled with them as if they were a tourist couple...upon arrival he turned them over to local mr big who then apparently locked them up in brothels where they had to service a bunch of guys for years...how anyone could do that and still be able to look at themself in the mirror is beyond my understanding...

about the lowest of the low in my opinion....the guy i knew ultimately hung himself whether due to his shame for having been a part of such horrible acts or who knows but i bet some of the gals he "delivered" may well still be there.....

[ghworker2010]

After he has done 10 yrs in a thai prison deport him back to iran. He will love that...

[ChrisY1]

If anyone ever doubted: Iran=State sponsored terrorism!!

Well done to the Thais to have got some of the bastards.

I didn't read that bit in the report.....there was a mention that the passports may have been used for terrorists....but that was just pure speculation.

Where do you get your certainty from? Link, please.

Obviously you havn't followed international news over the past couple of decades.........

[Daniel Ingalls]

All countries should heed this by making it almost impossible to forge Passports.

[Winkburn]

Great Job DSI note there was no arrests in Yingluks time. Credit to the General the arrests have taken place on his watch

[priestly]

If anyone ever doubted: Iran=State sponsored terrorism!!

Well done to the Thais to have got some of the bastards.

You may be right, but not unlike many other governments, eh?

[pegman]

The worst part of the story is the human trafficking part. I once had the misfortune to know a guy in bangkok who was being paid to fly with thai girls to places like dubai and africa.....the girls were apparently tricked into thinking that they were going for a one year job as a maid or something and the guy traveled with them as if they were a tourist couple...upon arrival he turned them over to local mr big who then apparently locked them up in brothels where they had to service a bunch of guys for years...how anyone could do that and still be able to look at themself in the mirror is beyond my understanding...

about the lowest of the low in my opinion....the guy i knew ultimately hung himself whether due to his shame for having been a part of such horrible acts or who knows but i bet some of the gals he "delivered" may well still be there.....

Sounds like bull to me. Every meet a bargirl who did not dream of going off to make big $$$$?

[kiwikeith]

That is one big collection, good job

Big collections take time only 20 years for this man to be apprehended amazing he has survived this long! send him to guamtamo bay.

[Larry001]

Good job. This is becoming an everyday occurrence where these foreign scumbags are being caught. Hope he enjoys the next 20 years of his stay in Thailand in a pleasant Thai jail.

[MaxYakov]

If anyone ever doubted: Iran=State sponsored terrorism!!

Well done to the Thais to have got some of the bastards.

I didn't read that bit in the report.....there was a mention that the passports may have been used for terrorists....but that was just pure speculation.

Where do you get your certainty from? Link, please.

Start here: Iran Government (maybe you can hack their server!)

[MaxYakov]

All countries should heed this by making it almost impossible to forge Passports.

Well ... "almost impossible" won't cut it.

[loonodingle]

I bet he was producing passports quicker than the UK embassy. In fact they can't even make them in Thailand anymore 555.

[geriatrickid]

Great Job DSI note there was no arrests in Yingluks time. Credit to the General the arrests have taken place on his watch

Rubbish. There have been multiple arrests dating back decades. The reality is that the techniques have changed over time, making it difficult to unravel these criminal organizations. In the past, some governments have been implicated, which made it more difficult. There is a reason why most countries do not accept passports from Somalia now. There is a reason why countries without advanced chips and biometric data are subject to closer scrutiny.

You have conveniently neglected to acknowledge the foreign government(s) contribution to this event. Who do you think was tracking the forgeries? It was the government(s) where the forgeries were used. Do you think the Australian government was sitting there with its thumb up its keester and wasn't sharing intelligence with foreign border agencies? When Canada was suffering the tidal wave of bogus Sri Lankan refugees coming out of Thailand, it was Australia that provided much of the useful info that helped stop the plague. Iranian forgers were implicated in that event. I would expect similar quiet investigation from the countries where these forged documents were used.

I am not putting down the Thais. Rather, I am pointing out that much of the effort to stop this activity comes from information provided by foreign intelligence and security agencies. it has always been that way.

edit: BTW, nice of you to join up to make that comment.