Iranian ’Doctor’ arrested in Thailand over counterfeit passport ring

Thai police have broken up a major fake passport ring led by an Iranian known as "The Doctor," which sent thousands of passports to Middle Eastern customers trying to enter Europe, officers said on Wednesday. 

Five years of investigation culminated in Monday’s arrest of Iranian national Hamid Reza Jafary, the alleged mastermind of the ring, police said Middle East Eye reported.

The 48-year-old had for many years been crafting sophisticated forgeries from his home in Chachoengsao province east of Bangkok, they said.

Immigration police have arrested an Iranian man and five Pakistani men on charges of forging passports of several nationalities for sale, Veooz reported.

"He (Jafary) produced passports for people from countries including Iran, Syria and Afghanistan who were escaping wars and wanted to enter Europe," said immigration police commander Lieutenant General Nathathorn Prousoontorn.

Clients emailed "The Doctor" their photos and specified the country for which they wanted a passport, the commander said, adding he guaranteed customers they would not be detected by border officials.