Police arrested British national Tobias William Scutt Drew, 33, at 3:15pm on Wednesday (Feb 7), confirmed Sakhu Police.
He was found in possession of 89 fake €200 banknotes and a range of banknotes of genuine currency: 272 £20 banknotes and 54 £10 banknotes; and 198 B1,000 banknotes, 1 B500 banknote and five B100 banknotes.
The location of his arrest was not confirmed in the report.
He was taken to Sakhu Police Station and charged under Section 240 and Section 241 of the Thai Criminal Code, which pertains to producing and distributing counterfeit currency.
Drew denied the charges against him.
Pol Lt Chapinya Suriyathamkul of Sakhu Police explained that Drew’s arrest followed a complaint filed by Sakhu resident Chanjira Lao-lang, 50, at 8pm on Tuesday (Feb 6).
Ms Chanjira reported that a foreign man had come to her currency exchange kiosk to exchange five €200 banknotes for B37,850.
Police identified the man as Drew, and obtained an arrest warrant from the Phuket Provincial Court (warrant No. 65/67) issued on Wednesday, Lt Chapinya confirmed.
During questioning it was confirmed that Drew had entered Thailand on Dec 2 and extended his stay in the country on Jan 31.
Drew said that he was staying at the MBC Condotel in Moo 5, Mai Khao, with fellow British national Ozeias Da Silva, 45, and had arranged to exchange currency with him.
Drew later transferred US$34,900 in cryptocurrency (about B1.24 million) to Da Silva on Feb 5. In return, he received a number of €200 banknotes and the outstanding amount equivalent to B674,800 in Thai currency and other banknotes.
After that, Drew took five of €200 banknotes to the currency exchange in Sakhu.
At about 3pm on Wednesday, Drew took banknotes totaling €1,000 to an exchange currency in Kamala, and at about 4pm on Wednesday went to exchange currency in Cherng Talay, police reported.
Police have since confirmed that Da Silva had presented counterfeit euro banknotes at a local currency exchange in the Tha Chatchai Police area three times, exchanging a total of €3,000 in banknotes (about B116,000).
Da Silva has been confirmed as leaving the country at 8:50pm on Wednesday.
Police are continuing their investigation.