Tanzanian conman busted in Thai Immigration sting
A Tanzanian national who posed as an influential figure in Thailand has been caught red-handed in an illegal business operation by immigration officers after attempting to boost his image by snapping photos with VIPs and foreign dignitaries.
Thai Immigration Police led by Police Colonel Kajaphon Pathamang and the Thonburi Task Force arrested Mohamed, a 41 year old Tanzanian national, along with Amar, a 39 year old Syrian national.
The two were charged with employing illegal foreign labour and working outside permitted rights, respectively. The pair were apprehended at a clothing store owned by Mohamed in the basement of Baiyoke Sky Tower, Ratchathewi, Bangkok.
The investigation into Mohamed began when he attempted to sneak a photo with a Tanzanian minister, part of a VIP delegation, at a Sukhumvit hotel. Security stopped him, and he quickly fled the scene.
Further digging revealed Mohamed’s dark past, including human trafficking, money laundering, and involvement in prostitution rings. Fluent in Thai and with multiple wives and children, Mohamed had been operating a garment store in Pratunam and a factory in Bang Bon district.
When police raided Mohamed’s store, both he and his employee, Amar, were found working under business visas issued through Turbo General Trading Co., Ltd. Mohamed was also linked to employing foreign nationals at SK Export Co., Ltd., where officers discovered nine illegal workers, including seven Myanmar nationals without work permits.
Two workers had overstayed their visas by more than a year. The illegal workers were paid just 2,100 baht per week and had been living in deplorable conditions for four months.
All suspects were handed over to Thakham Police Station for further legal action. Mohamed now faces charges for employing foreigners without permits and more serious criminal accusations, reported KhaoSod English.
In related news, a notorious Bangkok conman operating within the sex industry has been apprehended in a sting operation orchestrated by the Bangkok Metropolitan Police.
The 33 year old man was arrested for posing as a modelling agent to deceive and assault more than 50 young sex workers, as well as for robbing them of their cash savings.
