BANGKOK, Thailand – Bangkok police have arrested four foreign Africans following a sophisticated undercover operation targeting an alleged counterfeit currency scam, in which suspects claimed ordinary paper could be chemically transformed into genuine United States dollar bills.

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The arrests were the culmination of a police initiative that unfolded on the evening of August 1. The investigation originated from the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s drug suppression centre, which was actively tracking a transnational narcotics network. On July 26, undercover officers posing as prospective buyers at a luxury vehicle gathering in the Nana area were approached by the suspects, who offered to facilitate the purchase of a high-end car.

According to authorities, the suspects claimed to possess six million US dollars in cash that was currently held by customs. They requested an under-the-table payment of 150,000 baht to release the funds, promising the undercover officers a 40 percent share of a purported system capable of converting blank paper into authentic currency.

The subsequent crackdown led to the apprehension of two Liberian men and two Cameroonian women. A 35-year-old Liberian national was arrested on charges of participating in a criminal organization. A 40-year-old fellow Liberian faces identical charges along with allegations of residing in Thailand without proper authorization. Two Cameroonian women, aged 35 and 21, were later detained at a property in the Hua Mak area for immigration violations, including overstaying their permitted time in the country.

During coordinated searches, authorities seized a substantial amount of incriminating evidence. At a residence on Lasalle Road linked to the first suspect, officers discovered 60,000 blank sheets pre-cut to the size of banknotes. Searches at the Hua Mak location connected to the second male suspect yielded additional suspected counterfeit materials. In total, police confiscated eleven notes resembling one-hundred-dollar bills, three chemically coated counterfeit notes, four bottles of an unidentified liquid currently undergoing forensic testing, various conversion tools, and three mobile phones containing instructional videos on counterfeit production and scam methodologies.

Investigators revealed that the suspects utilized pre-treated paper and a liquid presented as a special chemical during their demonstrations to potential victims. Authorities allege this liquid was merely vitamin C dissolved in water, designed to dissolve a superficial coating and reveal a legitimate banknote hidden underneath, thereby deceiving targets into believing the scam was legitimate.

While the primary male suspect denied any knowledge of the illicit activities, his accomplice reportedly confessed to the scheme. He admitted that the chemical demonstration was merely a psychological tactic designed to persuade victims to hand over their assets before the perpetrators severed all contact. He further acknowledged paying a local printing shop earlier on the day of the arrest to cut the blank paper to the required dimensions.

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All suspects and the seized exhibits have been transferred to the Makkasan and Hua Mak police stations, where they will face formal legal proceedings as the broader investigation into the transnational network continues.

-Thailand News (TN)