Thai police bust "massive" counterfeiting operation in Bangkok

[rooster59]

Thai police bust "massive" counterfeiting operation in Bangkok

 

Image: Sanook

 

BANGKOK:-- Crime Suppression Division police have raided premises in the Wacharapol area of Bang Khen where they discovered a big money printing operation.

 

They found machinery and plates for producing US dollars, Laotian Kip and Thai baht as well as evidence that Korean Won was being printed as well. Two guns were taken into evidence along with a quantity of ammunition.

 

Ramet Phrasubin, 49, and his girlfriend Walaiporn Nutsawat, 32, were looking after the place and had been doing so since 2011.

 

The raid followed representations from US agents that fake notes printed in Thailand had come into the United States.

 

The operation had already taken three months and will now be expanded to try to round up the investors and ringleaders of the gang.

 

Police said they were not sure of the exact extent of the figures involved in the operation but said that it was likely to be "massive".

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-09-17

[jamesbrock]

20 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Police said they were not sure of the exact extent of the figures involved in the operation but said that it was likely to be "massive".

 

See! That's why they're the police and I'm not - I would've guessed that, a gang possessing machinery and plates to print off money at will would've only printed a small amount... Lucky we have these Sherlocks on our side!

[impulse]

The news outlet that can't be quoted says they didn't find any fake US notes on location.

 

But I have my suspicions that they found a couple of big crates of genuine looking USD that they quickly spirited away for use at a later date.

[sharecropper]

Does anyone remember a year or so ago some navy personnel being arrested in Cambodia with huge amounts of fake US bank notes? I think in Battambang. Of course immediately the Navy started squealing about how innocent they were and demanding they be released.

 

I then read a (non-Thai news) report which cryptically stated that the US suspected a massive counterfeiting operation of high quality banknotes was being carried on "at a secure location" in Thailand. I'm guessing this wasn't it, and I heard nothing further about it.

[jamesbrock]

1 hour ago, sharecropper said:

Does anyone remember a year or so ago some navy personnel being arrested in Cambodia with huge amounts of fake US bank notes? I think in Battambang. Of course immediately the Navy started squealing about how innocent they were and demanding they be released.

 

I then read a (non-Thai news) report which cryptically stated that the US suspected a massive counterfeiting operation of high quality banknotes was being carried on "at a secure location" in Thailand. I'm guessing this wasn't it, and I heard nothing further about it.

 

This one: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-crime-counterfeit-idUSKCN0I10WC20141012

 

Quote

On Sept. 19, Sar Theth's officers tracked three Thai men in a pick-up truck as it passed through a remote border checkpoint from Thailand. When the truck stopped in the Cambodian district of Phnom Proek, the police pounced.

 

Inside, said Sar Theth, they found three cardboard boxes packed with $7.16 million in counterfeit hundred-dollar bills, the largest seizure of fake U.S. notes in Southeast Asia for about a decade and the biggest ever in Cambodia.

 

 

 

I guess, in the absence of any reports since then, that investigation is still ongoing... 

Edited September 17, 2016 by metisdead
Edited as per fair use policy.

[Alive]

I got a fake US $100 in the US from Bangkok of America. I tried to use it at the US embassy but they wouldn't take it and amazingly they gave it back to me. I thought they should confiscate it. Whatever. I still have it. They carefully check out here for fakes but in the states they aren't up to par. I got the fake when I cashed a US savings bond in a bank in White Plains, NY. That was probably around 2009? I won't use the $100 fake. It's a cool souvenir but I am pissed off at the US banks for not checking their currency or letting corrupt people in who pass off fakes.  I lost 3k baht because of those jerks!

[Emster23]

Probably tipped off by some law abiding Nigerians I reckon

[SaintLouisBlues]

4 minutes ago, Emster23 said:

Probably tipped off by some law abiding Nigerians I reckon

Possibly a demarcation dispute

[sharecropper]

28 minutes ago, jamesbrock said:

 

This one: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-crime-counterfeit-idUSKCN0I10WC20141012

 

 

I guess, in the absence of any reports since then, that investigation is still ongoing... 

 

Yeah that one. An excellent and interesting report.

[dotpoom]

1 hour ago, jamesbrock said:

 

See! That's why they're the police and I'm not - I would've guessed that, a gang possessing machinery and plates to print off money at will would've only printed a small amount... Lucky we have these Sherlocks on our side!

 

The police said the same as what you said???

[jaltsc]

"They found machinery and plates for producing... Laotian Kip and Thai baht..."

 

Wouldn't that result in a massive paper shortage?

[jamesbrock]

4 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

The police said the same as what you said???

 

Is that a question or a statement? If a question, then no they didn't. If a statement, then, again, no they didn't.

 

The police said the operation was likely to be massive.

 

I said I would've guessed that they would've only printed a small amount.

[Bluespunk]

51 minutes ago, Emster23 said:

Probably tipped off by some law abiding Nigerians I reckon

Bet you can't guess what I'm reckoning right now. 

[impulse]

Counterfeiting is so prevalent in China that I got a printout of the serial numbers of the bills the last time I used an ATM.  

 

That way, I'm protected if one of them is counterfeit, and I can't claim it came out of an ATM if it didn't.

[realenglish1]

This is really sad I got a fake 100 from my bank in the USA  When government agents confiscated it I told them where I got it from and they said I was shit out of luck in getting my money back .I guess the bank did not want the loss so stiffed me for it

 

Who would have thought from my own bank

[metisdead]

Offensive posts and replies have been removed. 

[Kabula]

4 hours ago, jamesbrock said:

 

See! That's why they're the police and I'm not - I would've guessed that, a gang possessing machinery and plates to print off money at will would've only printed a small amount... Lucky we have these Sherlocks on our side!

Considering the costs to make the plates and pay the experts, one would have to print a truck load just to pay expenses and all associates.

[elgordo38]

Kudo's to the coppers great job but lets not overdo things massive? hardly. 

[sahibji]

7 hours ago, jamesbrock said:

 

See! That's why they're the police and I'm not - I would've guessed that, a gang possessing machinery and plates to print off money at will would've only printed a small amount... Lucky we have these Sherlocks on our side!

would you  agree that it is premature to mention any quantum until further investigation reveals  the extent of activities or did i miss out something.

[sahibji]

1 hour ago, elgordo38 said:

Kudo's to the coppers great job but lets not overdo things massive? hardly. 

for sure this is an excellent job and reward is in order.

[sahibji]

4 hours ago, realenglish1 said:

This is really sad I got a fake 100 from my bank in the USA  When government agents confiscated it I told them where I got it from and they said I was shit out of luck in getting my money back .I guess the bank did not want the loss so stiffed me for it

 

Who would have thought from my own bank

you must thank your lucky stars that the blame was not put on to you. there is little you could have done to prove your innocence. 

[sahibji]

6 hours ago, jaltsc said:

"They found machinery and plates for producing... Laotian Kip and Thai baht..."

 

Wouldn't that result in a massive paper shortage?

and problems created for many innocent citizens who may come into possession  of such fakes through no fault of their own.

[sahibji]

6 hours ago, Alive said:

I got a fake US $100 in the US from Bangkok of America. I tried to use it at the US embassy but they wouldn't take it and amazingly they gave it back to me. I thought they should confiscate it. Whatever. I still have it. They carefully check out here for fakes but in the states they aren't up to par. I got the fake when I cashed a US savings bond in a bank in White Plains, NY. That was probably around 2009? I won't use the $100 fake. It's a cool souvenir but I am pissed off at the US banks for not checking their currency or letting corrupt people in who pass off fakes.  I lost 3k baht because of those jerks!

it could be some staff pushing his own bills as genuine.

[sahibji]

7 hours ago, impulse said:

The news outlet that can't be quoted says they didn't find any fake US notes on location.

 

But I have my suspicions that they found a couple of big crates of genuine looking USD that they quickly spirited away for use at a later date.

speculation is not fair.

[Nemesis7]

Genius. Actually I think they should br hired by US treasury dept in order to prevent

[Wilsonandson]

Pretty sophisticated operation.
Nice printing press and quality plates.

[SOTIRIOS]

...since 2011.....???

 

...gotta wonder who has been running it then....

[impulse]

21 hours ago, sahibji said:

speculation is not fair.

 

You're probably right.

 

But I still think it's just a little suspicious that the investigation was instigated by the US Secret Service, they found the plates and machines to make USD, they found several other fake currencies, but they claim they found no fake USD in the raid.  I'd have at least expected some factory rejects laying about.

[metisdead]

A post containing a link to a disallowed site has been removed. 

[PatOngo]

The picture of Pokémon on the $100 bill is what gave them away.