Thats One Exit Pass, Bangkok!
What Went Down
Bangkok police just made a big splash by nabbing a Pakistani passport‑forger named Mohammad Iqbal, 52, who had been selling stir‑fry‑style fake IDs to – you guessed it – the Islamic State.
How the Operation Played Out
On Jan. 14, Iqbal was caught in a Bangkok suburb clutching a stack of bogus passports from Singapore and India, plus all the shiny vinyl plates and fancy laminates that make it look legit enough to fool border officials in France, Italy and Spain.
Why Thailand’s on the Look‑out
The Immigration Bureau, led by Lt‑Gen “Suttipong” Vongpint, says he used Thailand as his workshop for years, turning regional gaps into a cauldron of counterfeit docs.
Why it matters
- Fakes can help folks slip into Europe without the behind‑the‑gate hassle.
- They’re a breeding ground for criminal gangsters and extremist operatives.
- Thailand has been tightening the screws on this midnight trade for decades.
Next Moves
Authorities are hammering out more “pinpoint” operations, suspecting there are still a handful of rogue forgers marooned in the kingdom.
TL;DR: A 52‑year‑old Pakistani forging passports was caught in Bangkok and bagged with fake travel IDs for a war‑zone gang, ending a long‑running crime network that fuels illegal Europe entry. Thailand’s police are stepping up the gang‑buster effort.
The Passport Pawn‑Shop in Bangkok: An International Scandal
Meet Iqbal: Thailand’s “Passport Guru”
Picture a guy who’s been living in Thailand for over a decade, yet whose real talent is turning ordinary passports into bony reliquaries for a bank‑rolled criminal empire. In a twist that could have been lifted straight from a crime‑themed sitcom, Iqbal was nabbed on a motorcycle right out of his Bangkok condo, only after the police patched him up for
falsifying passports, tampering with visa stamps, and selling fake travel documents.
Who’s the Target: Islamists or Every “Eager” Buyer?
Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan sold the press on a villain arc, linking Iqbal to a gang that allegedly supplied passports to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IslamicStateof_Arabia”>Islamic State (ISIS) for a cross‑border smuggling rave. “They were trying to get those men from the Middle East into Thailand,” Prawit asserted, though the attempt was thwarted.
Take a step back, and we hear Suttipong shoot a more balanced line. “This guy sells passports to everyone, not just one club.” He indicates a diligent ne’er‑do‑well, handing out IDs at the behest of anyone who will pay – a fact that sidetracks the ISIS rumor.
How Priceless? (And the error that makes it cheap)
- Fake passports typically sit at a sweet spot of a few hundred dollars.
- Believed to be “Triple‑A” quality, they are so sturdy the buyer can almost feel the original paper in their hands.
- Used by refugees, migrants, and criminals alike – the “who knocks when it comes to thievery” principle.
The Root of the Problem: A Long Legacy of Identity Theft
More than a decade after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, this shady passport production grew in the shadowy suburbs of Bangkok. Some 20 years ago, a notorious “Iranian master forger,” nicknamed “The Doctor,” stepped up the game by providing “Triple‑A” documents to people from South Asia, the Middle East and beyond. Iqbal, it turns out, is a disciple in this global crime network.
Bangkok: The International “Do‑Not‑Wreck” Zone
Why did this playground for fugitives develop? There are three factors:
- Visa‑Free Doors: Thailand opens its gates to a large swath of countries, making it a passport‑friendly, albeit perforated, field.
- Transportation Hub: With every major Asian corridor – Yangon, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur – consistently at your fingertips.
- Sea‑Bound Borders: A sprawling and not precisely enforced frontier with Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia that loves shady business deals.
This thriving infrastructure has long attracted criminals looking to move anything from people and wildlife to weapons, drugs, and gems.
Wrap‑Up
Iqbal’s arrest was .
Rapid reporters had concluded that his operation is part of a worldwide forgery enterprise that has made a path for criminals from all angles. The success, however, was limited to a 2016 hit that suddenly stunned Thailand’s immigration police, but the industry has not given up. It’s a lull. Are there more “Doctor’s” on the block? Will Iqbal keep the court jurisdiction closed? Only the future will let us know. But the headlines are clear: takers think “I will pass my ID to the big bad guys.”
