A THAI woman who was part of a gang that had defrauded the New Zealand Ambassador to Thailand in 2008 by making a fake copy of his credit card and spending over 10 million baht was arrested yesterday after 14 years on the run, Naewna newspaper said today (Apr. 19).
Central Investigation Bureau chief Pol.Lt.Gen. Jirapob Puridet and Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) head Pol. Maj. Gen. Puttidet Bunkrapue led a team in arresting Ms. Ketkanya (surname withheld), 44, under a Criminal Court warrant issued on July 17, 2009 in front of her house in Mueang district in Singburi. She has been charged with jointly forging an electronic card, jointly using a counterfeit electronic card while knowing that it was fake and forging documents.
In 2008 the New Zealand embassy had filed a complaint with ECD that the ambassador’s credit card had been forged and used in Thailand with damage reaching over 10 million baht.
Investigation revealed that the seven members of this gang had purchased details of the ambassador’s credit card from a Malaysian and then made a fake copy. This was used to purchase petrol from a string of pumps which was then resold to other pumps with damage amounting to over 10 million baht.
While six other gang members had been arrested and their assets seized, this suspect managed to escape.
The suspect told police that she had together with the other gang members bought and resold petrol in many provinces and also purchased various other items. When she heard that an arrest warrant had been issued for her she fled and changed her residence several times over the 14 years until she was finally caught.
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The suspect charged with scamming the New Zealand ambassador was arrested yesterday. Photo: Naewna
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