The US Secret Service has recognised Phuket police for their investigations into counterfeit US dollars, including two cases involving suspicious banknotes at currency exchange shops.
An American delegation presented officers with certificates of appreciation during a visit to Phuket Provincial Police Headquarters on September 22.
Senior Special Agent and Assistant Attaché Samuel Cloud led the delegation in a meeting with Phuket Provincial Police Commander Police Major General Sinlert Sukhum to discuss cooperation against international crime.
Phuket News reported that the talks covered counterfeit currency, economic crime and cyber fraud, with the American representatives thanking Phuket investigators for their assistance and information-sharing with US law-enforcement agencies.
Certificates were awarded to Sinlert and several officers involved in major criminal investigations over the past three years. Investigators from Wichit, Kamala, Patong and Choeng Thale police stations also received recognition for their work.
The visit highlighted two investigations into suspected counterfeit US banknotes that helped establish cooperation between Phuket police and their American counterparts.
The first involved a Russian woman arrested by Kamala police in July 2024 after allegedly attempting to exchange counterfeit US$50 notes.
The woman, then 22 years old, was arrested following a complaint from a currency exchange shop, where three of the four US$50 notes she presented were suspected to be fake.
Police subsequently searched her accommodation and seized another 32 suspected counterfeit US$50 notes. During questioning, she reportedly denied knowing the money was fake, explaining that her father had given her the banknotes.
Information obtained during the investigation was later shared with US law-enforcement agencies.
A second investigation followed in March 2025, when Wichit police examined suspected counterfeit US$50 notes presented at a currency exchange shop.
According to the latest police account, investigators seized 38 notes and coordinated with US Embassy officials, including the Secret Service, to determine whether the currency was genuine.
Phuket police said their work on the counterfeit US banknotes contributed to wider inquiries into currency-trafficking networks operating across Southeast Asia.
The September 22 meeting also provided an opportunity for Thai and American officers to exchange information and discuss continued cooperation against cross-border financial crime.
In related news:
- 3 foreigners caught using toy banknotes at Phuket entertainment venue
- Foreign man scams Phuket exchange shops with fake pound banknotes
- 2 Russians held with over 5.4m baht from mule accounts
The story US Secret Service praises Phuket police for fighting currency fraud as seen on Thaiger News.
