Phuket International Airport became the scene of international intrigue on Monday, December 9, as immigration officers intercepted three travellers attempting to use forged passports.
The first arrest involved a 27-year-old Syrian woman, whose identity was withheld, who tried to enter Thailand using a fake Italian passport. The woman was apprehended in the international arrivals hall at around 11 a.m. and faces charges of using or possessing a forged passport. She was subsequently transferred to Sakhu Police Station for further investigation.
Later the same day, two Afghan nationals were arrested attempting to leave Thailand with fake Kazakhstan passports. Abdul Bashir Kawoskgar, 24, and Mustafa Ahadi, 20, were stopped as they tried to board Bangkok Airways flight PG276, which was bound for Milan, Italy. Instead of continuing their journey, the two men were taken into custody.
While immigration officials have remained tight-lipped about further details, they emphasized the importance of ongoing vigilance in identifying forged travel documents. “Our officers are trained to spot these attempts. These arrests highlight the significance of border security,” an immigration spokesperson stated.
The arrests draw attention to the growing sophistication of international passport forgery and the risks it poses to global travel networks. Thai authorities are investigating whether the three cases are connected to a larger criminal operation, according to Phuket News.
In a related incident, a 33-year-old logistics operator from Satara, India, was detained at Mumbai International Airport as he tried to board a flight to Thailand. Immigration officials uncovered his attempt to conceal his past trips from his wife, adding a personal layer to the international intrigue.
