In a transnational investigation into a large counterfeit invoice operation, Thailand’s Police Cyber Task Force teamed up with the US Secret Service in Bangkok, seizing offset printing machines and tens of 1000’s of counterfeit $100 payments in early November.
Best selling was launched after authorities seen an uptick in banknote forgeries in Thailand. A supply also tipped off authorities, saying most of the counterfeit payments have been being produced in Southeast Asia.
In a series of raids over a few days, police arrested of eight people and the seized of quite a few printing presses, based on the top of the US Secret Service in Bangkok.
In one raid, officers confiscated 36,000 counterfeit US$100 notes valued at around a hundred million baht. On November 11, police apprehended a banknote printing supervisor, who was recognized as “Thongmak,” and seized 4 offset printing machines in Phetchaburi’s Muang district.
Police raided one other location in Bangkok and arrested a person identified “Boonchuai,” who is alleged to me a significant funder for the operation from Laos. Reports say he was the press procurer for the factory in Nakhon Pathom, simply outside the capital.
The subsequent day, on November 12, officers arrested a person recognized as “Kitchaphat”and seized 10,000 counterfeit US$100 payments.
Police also seized 10,000 pretend banknotes that were 95% to 97% equivalent to the actual invoice, leading to warrants for international banknote forgery. The maximum punishment if found responsible is life in jail.
According to Pol Maj Gen Naphanwut, the US Secret Service dispatched personnel to help with the investigation, which discovered a hyperlink between printing areas in Nakhon Pathom and Pathum Thani that will have been managed by the identical gang.
“The seizure is enormous. Even experts had been stunned by the resemblance”, he acknowledged..