Yemeni, Kenyan suspects busted in Don Mueang exchange scam
Suspect caught in Hua Hin after multi-province theft investigation
Tourist Police arrested a Yemeni suspect linked to a gang accused of scamming money exchange booths across Thailand, causing over 1 million baht in damage.
The operation was carried out under the direction of Police Lieutenant General Saksira Pueak-am, Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, along with senior officers Police Colonel Monphon Likhitmanon and Pol. Col. Man Rotthong from the bureau’s Crime Suppression Division.
The suspect, 43 year old Nabil Mohammed Yahya Zaid, a Yemeni national, was arrested under Criminal Court warrant no. 5904/2568, dated October 8 (yesterday). He faces charges of joint theft at the airport at night, relating to a recent scam at Don Mueang Airport.
The latest incident occurred on October 5, when a staff member at a Kasikorn Bank currency exchange booth in the passenger terminal at Don Mueang Airport reported that a man had fraudulently exchanged US$8,389 (around 244,958 baht) using a photo of a passport. The scammer received the baht but allegedly never delivered the original foreign currency.
The suspect identified at the scene was Abdalla Ahmed Salim, a Kenyan national, believed to be an accomplice. Investigators connected Zaid to the operation and issued a warrant for his arrest.
Zaid was apprehended in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and later transferred to Don Mueang Police Station for further legal action.
Further investigation revealed that the gang had committed similar scams in six locations, all within a short span:
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September 29 – Pak Kret Police Station area: 215,018 baht
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October 1 – Chanasongkram area: 185,600 baht
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October 1 – Lumpini area: 107,330 baht
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October 2 – Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya: 201,600 baht
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October 5 – Don Mueang Airport: 244,958 baht
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October 7 – Kanchanaburi City: 195,688 baht
According to Don Mueang Airport Tourist Police Facebook, the group used forged or misleading documents to deceive money exchange operators. Officers are now working to track down other suspects and determine if the group is part of a larger international fraud network.
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