Cops trace forgers to probe terrorism links

After a chopped up body was found in a freezer, police rethink passport crimes, writes Wassayos Ngamkham

The police uncovering of the dismembered body of an eastern European man during a raid on a passport forgery gang late last month has prompted new thinking about the link between passport forgery and major crimes.

This gristly murder is just one example of identity fraud being linked to human trafficking and terrorism.

Thailand is a prime destination for running fake passport businesses because of its central location in Southeast Asia, according to Immigration Bureau chief Nathathorn Prousoontorn.

His agency has been busy since the start of this year in joint crackdowns with other agencies on passport forgery gangs.

The gang that was busted most recently was run by three US nationals, and surrendered to tourist police on Sept 23, following a shoot-out that l eft one officer injured.

One suspect, identified as Herbert Craig La Fon, also sustained injuries.

But their casualties were overshadowed by the discovery of a freezer containing body parts at the gang’s hideout on Soi Sukhumvit Soi 56.

City police suspect the victim might have been killed in 2007, following a conflict over a huge debt he allegedly owed Mr La Fon. Another assumption is the man fell prey to the gang’s fake passport plot.

The officers believe the victim is Charles Edward Ditlefsen, a Hungarian businessman and US national, said city police chief Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn.

According to an initial investigation, Ditlefsen, a chief executive officer of a Los Angeles-based railway construction company, may have been murdered by the gang so they could use his passport information to make a fake one for financial transactions and to embezzle his assets.

This incident has prompted authorities to think more seriously about the criminal links in the case. What Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn is most worried about is a link with terrorism.

“Many terrorist incidents around the globe have some connection with fake passports,” he said, citing major attacks in US’ recent history such as 9/11.

Another is t he deadly bombing at the Erawan shrine near Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong intersection in August last year that killed 20 and injured 125 people.

One suspect was arrested an apartment in the capital where explosive materials and fake passports were found.

The government has put passport forgery on its list of threats to national security.

Many terrorist incidents around the globe have some connection with fake passports. IMMIGRATION BUREAU CHIEF

The Immigration Bureau, along with other state security agencies, has launched crackdowns on illegal passport rings and this year alone has caught at least four major gangs, he said.

Earlier this year authorities raided a “fake passport factory” and arrested Hamid Reza Jafary, a wanted Iranian suspect often called “doctor”. He had been able to hide his identity until he made a phone call to order pizza.

Later in April, Pakistani suspect Ramzan Mahammad, alias John Painter, was nabbed. He was accused of selling stolen passports to the doctor’s gang which managed to forge travel documents.

Another gang attached to the doctor’s network was busted in June. During the raid, authorities caught Pakistani suspect Attiq Urrehman.

In July, police officers arrested another Pakistani national named Abdullah Ghani Bhori, also known as Baboo.

An initial investigation found the man allegedly was involved in human trafficking by making fake passports for migrants and transnational criminals to enter countries in the European Union.

To make a success in weeding out passport forgery, officers must also be equipped with modern tools, he said.

The Personal Identification Blacklist Immigration Control System is being used to check information in passports of passengers travelling to and from Thailand to determine if they are the same persons on arrival and departure, he said.

Devices called VSC6000 have been also installed at major airports to look for irregularities on passengers’ travel documents, he said.

The ultimate aim is to build security in society and “especially prevent terrorism-related damage that can be caused by passport forgery gangs”, Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn said.

POL LT GEN NATHATHORN PROUSOONTORN