Two Pakistani men and two Thai women have been arrested on charges of producing fake passports for customers in and outside Thailand.
Shahzad Nazeer Butt, Khawaja Rizwan Haleem, both Pakistan citizens, Mr Butt's Thai wife Orawan and Nongrak Rakwongsri were arrested by officers of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) at Klao Siam Condominium in Din Daeng district on Aug 30. The arrests were not announced until Thursday.
Songsak Ruksrisakul, chief of the International Affairs and Transnational Crimes office of the DSI, said the four had operated a restaurant in Pathunam area for 20 years as a front for their real business, which was producing forged passports.
They bought real passports stolen from foreigners and altered them, changing the names and information according to the needs of their customers in Thailand and abroad, Pol Lt Col Songsak said.
DSI officials searched their apartment and the restaurant and seized evidence including stolen Italian passports, pictures to be used in fake passports, fake visas, identification cards, drivers' licences and passport covers for more than 42 nationalities, Mr Songsak said.
They face charges of passport forgery. Investigators are hoping to arrest more members of the gang.