Thai police probing nationalities of fake passport gang

By Cs Thana

BANGKOK (AA) - Thai police revealed Monday that suspects arrested at an alleged forgery den last week had been traveling on at least ten different passports making identification impossible for the time being.

National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda told reporters that an investigation of three men taken into custody Friday found that they had been traveling on forged documents.

"They are not British and American as earlier reported and we are currently coordinating with the embassies to identify the suspects," he said.

At the scene of the arrest in downtown Bangkok, police also discovered illicit drugs, stolen passports and a dismembered body in a freezer.

Police believe the men are part of an international passport forgery ring, and earlier said that they would be charged with concealing a dead body and attempted murder.

During the raid of the compound, gunfire had been exchanged leaving a police officer injured.

Thailand is no stranger to identity theft. Thousands of visitors lose or have their passports stolen in the country each year with many of the passports making their way onto the black market.