CityNews – A police officer and two other men were arrested with forged banknotes valued at 194,000 baht in Chiang Rai on Saturday.
Photo: Chiang Dao police.
Officers in Mae Jan district had been tipped off that the forged currency would be transferred from central Thailand to the Burmese border area.
At around 1pm they stopped a car at a checkpoint and arrested Police Sub-Lieutenant Wichian Malidong, 55, of U Thong police station in Suphan Buri province. They also arrested Bamrung Pakpian, 59, from Kanchanaburi province, and Jetsada Nudam, 25, from Chonburi province.
Police Sub-Lieutenant Wichian said he was also a policeman and asked to be allowed through the checkpoint. However, the police insisted on examining the car, and found many forged 1,000 and 500-baht notes.
The three suspects were taken to Mae Jan police station, but police said they refused to fully cooperate and gave unclear information about the origin of the banknotes, which they claimed to have been delivering to Mae Sai.
Police also tested their urine and found evidence of drug use. They believe the men sold the forged banknotes or exchanged them for narcotics. The three will be prosecuted, and investigations are ongoing.