Immigration police led by Pol Lt Chidchanok Sakornyen and Pol Capt Angkarn Yasanop arrested the Russian, Anatoliy Gural, 30, in Soi Koke Yang, Rawai.

He was charged with entering Thailand using a fake passport in the name of Danil Safronov. When the police checked on the Immigration database, it appeared that Gural came to Thailand at the beginning of April this year, using a non-immigrant O visa, and received a permit to stay until June 29.

The Russian Embassy briefed the Phuket Immigration Police, informing officers that Gural is a criminal wanted for the illegal transportation of large amounts of narcotics, and has been on the Interpol wanted list since November 16 last year.

Danil Safronov, the owner of the passport Gural was carrying, was confirmed to be in Russia.

Capt Angkarn told The Phuket News, “After receiving information from the Embassy, we tracked this guy down to Soi Koke Yang in Rawai, where he was staying.

“Officers asked him for his passport but he said that he had sent it off to another country for renewal of the visa. However, police already had records of him travelling as Safronov, using Safranov’s passport but with his own photo laminated over the top of Safronov’s,” Capt Angkarn explained.

The immigration police also showed him the copy of warrant of arrest from Russia and Gural admitted that the person in the warrant was him and also admitted that the Safranov passport was not his.

He is currently in Chalong Police Station being charged. He is expected to be extradited to Russia soon.

by http://www.thephuketnews.com/

Russian dealer with fake passport arrested in Phuket