Two Liberian men were arrested in Bangkok for allegedly deceiving an Australian man into purchasing chemicals which they falsely claimed could turn special paper into banknotes, police said on Thursday.
Michael Merlyn Sebastian, 36, and Jesse Edward Fahnbulleh, 32, were apprehended at the Holiday Inn Bangkok Silom Hotel in Bang Rak district.
Police said black paper cut to the size of US dollar banknotes, a glass tube and a plastic bottle, both containing used substances, were seized as evidence.
Robert Rodney Connolly, 38, told police that two men showed him how the chemicals worked at their hotel room. After he was convinced, he paid them five million baht for the items.
He later realised he had been conned and went to police to press charges, reports said.
Police then hid closed-circuit cameras at the hotel to record the suspects' behaviour and conducted a sting operation which led to their arrest.
Both men claimed they were only reponsible for the delivery of the items and demonstrating the con, police said.
They were taken into custody at the Yannawa police station and charged with conspiracy to commit fraud.