SURAT THANI – Two Israeli nationals were apprehended on Koh Samui on Saturday for allegedly exchanging counterfeit US dollar bills at a local airport. The suspects, identified as 25-year-old M.M. and 28-year-old O.S., were taken into custody under warrants issued by the Samui Court.

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According to Pol Lt Col Phanumat Chukuea, detective inspector-general at Bophut Police Station, the two men separately exchanged $50 notes at a Government Savings Bank currency exchange kiosk in Samui Airport last Monday. M.M. exchanged five notes for 7,280 baht, while O.S. exchanged ten notes for 14,560 baht. The bank’s headquarters later confirmed that all the notes were counterfeit, prompting a police investigation.

Two Israelis Exchange Fake Dollars on Koh Samui as Outdated Software Fails https://t.co/Rv6IWAVtSS

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Officers from Bophut Police Station subsequently arrested the pair at their accommodation in tambon Bophut. A search revealed 48 additional $100 bills, 17 $50 notes, and three $1 bills in their possession, all confirmed to be counterfeit. The suspects claimed they had brought the US currency from Israel and were unaware the notes were fake.

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Pol Lt Col Phanumat confirmed that the two men had entered Thailand through Suvarnabhumi Airport on October 5 using tourist visas. The case remains under investigation as authorities work to determine the origin of the counterfeit currency and whether the suspects are linked to broader forgery operations.

-Thailand News (TN)