Pattaya-
On April 25, 2025, Pol. Col. Anek Sarathongyoo, Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, and Pol. Maj. Arut Saphanont, Deputy Superintendent of Investigations, announced the arrest of Mr. Iskandarkhuja Farkhodkhuj Akbarkhujaev, a 31-year-old Uzbek national. The suspect was apprehended at a hotel in central Pattaya with 30 counterfeit US$100 bills in his possession. He was taken to Pattaya City Police Station for questioning.
The arrest followed a report from a currency exchange shop in Pattaya, which stated that a white-skinned foreign tourist had exchanged approximately US$3,000 for 80,000 Thai Baht. The shop later discovered the US dollars were counterfeit and provided CCTV footage and identification documents of the suspect to the Pattaya police investigation team.
Pol. Maj. Arut acted swiftly, as the incident affected local businesses and involved a foreign national. Police tracked down and arrested the suspect at the hotel in question. Evidence included two currency exchange slips found on a bedside table and counterfeit US dollars hidden in a shoulder bag.
The suspect confessed to bringing the counterfeit US dollars from Turkey to use for various expenses. He exchanged them for foreign currencies or Thai Baht to cover daily expenditures.
Authorities detained Mr. Iskandarkhuja with the counterfeit US$3,000 and CCTV evidence, charging him with possessing and using counterfeit US currency with knowledge of its fraudulent nature. Legal proceedings are underway.
Pol. Col. Anek urged affected business owners to file complaints at Pattaya City Police Station and encouraged currency exchange operators to report suspicious individuals to nearby authorities for immediate inspection, 24/7.
