Police have seized eight offset printing machines in Phetchaburi for inspection, following the arrest of a suspect with 9,800 counterfeit US$100 (3,300 baht) banknotes in a sting operation carried out on Friday in Bangkok's Nong Chok district.
The eight presses were confiscated from a rental building in Muang district of Phetchaburi after police had expanded their investigation, said a source.
The suspect, a resident of Pathum Thani identified only as "Kitchaphat", 53, was arrested on Friday afternoon at a restaurant in Nong Chok district as soon as he showed up to deliver fake US banknotes to undercover agents pretending to be customers.
Police had extracted information about the counterfeiting operation following a crackdown on a fake-dollar gang in Nakhon Pathom's Bang Len district on Nov 3, said the source.
The unnamed owner of the rental building told the police that the person, who signed the lease contract a fortnight ago, was a resident of Prachuap Khiri Khan, who claimed the building would be used for operating a printing house. No further details were given.
The building was rented out for 4,500 baht per month, said the owner.
On Nov 3, police said they had arrested four women for selling fake banknotes and seized around 50,000 counterfeit $100 bills.
One suspect, identified only as Jirapat, had posted the fake banknotes for sale on Facebook, which prompted the initial investigation into the operation.
The other three suspects were identified only as Pachara, Orathai and Sirinrat.