Details of the arrest of Mohd Jaris Tun Bin Abdullah, 50, were made at a press conference held jointly by tourist Police and the Kasikorn Bank investigation unit.
The arresting officers had received information from Kasikorn Bank's investigation unit stating that the suspect would be travelling to Phuket via Phuket International Airport on AirAsia flight FD 3017 from Don Mueang Airport and that the plane would arrive at 5.05pm.
After the plane had landed, officers, who were waiting outside the plane, approached Mr Abdullah as he disembarked. They identified themselves as police and asked to see Mr Abdullah’stravel document and also carried out a search of his belongings.
Inside Mr Abdullah’s bag police found a money bag, two HSBC Bank credit cards, one
Citibank credit card, one OCBC Bank credit card, one Public Bank card and an American Express card. They also found bank slips for The Ship Hotel and for AirAsia in Hadyai Airport.
Kasikorn Bank's investigation unit checked all the cards and found that the information held them had been copied from cards which were issued by international banks from other countries.
Pol Maj Urumporn Khoondejsumrit, an inspector from the Tourist Police said that after checking Mr Abdullah’s immigration history he had come to Thailand seven times in February. He arrived in Thailand again on Saturday (April 4) and had booked a return flight for Sunday (April 5).
Officers stated that Mr Abdullah had used the cards to buy brand name items as they had found evidence on his mobile phone that he had sent information through WE CHAT about his purchases, and also from bank slips from purchases made in Bangkok, Had Yai, Songkhla and Phuket.
Mr Abdullah is currently being held at Thachatchai Police Station while he awaits legal proceedings.