Musa Abdallah and Amala
Couple, shown here hiding behind the tools of their nefarious trade, have
been remanded to custody for their currency counterfeiting scam.
Boonlua Chatree
Two Africans were arrested for allegedly swindling 2.8
million baht from a Thai man who fell for their suspected currency
counterfeiting scam.
Musa Abdallah, 22, of Libya, and Amala Couple, 19, of
Angola were captured in their rented Pattaya room with two black bags, paper
and various chemicals and powders.
Southern Thailand native Suwapot Kitpokha, 31, said he
was invited to join the two Africans in their venture to create fresh, legal
currency from scrap paper and suitcases, but was later shocked to find the
venture was a fraud.
Grifters have long used the “black bag” trick to swindle
victims by placing blank paper and some chemicals into a suitcase, shaking
it and pulling out real currency from a hidden compartment. The con artist
then hits up their marks for more cash, allegedly for more of the magic
chemicals.
Police, believing the Africans are part of a larger fraud
ring, are holding them pending more investigation.
