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Phuket Police Honored by US Secret Service for Counterfeit Dollar Crackdown
Phuket Police in Thailand received commendations from the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) for their significant achievements in cracking down on counterfeit U.S. dollars. Notably, Police Colonel Somsak Thongkliang and his team at Kamala Police Station were recognized for their contributions to dismantling counterfeit currency networks.
At 11:00 a.m. in the reception room of the Phuket Provincial Police Office, Police Major General Sinloet Sukhum, Commander of Phuket Provincial Police, welcomed Samuel Cloud, Senior Special Agent and Assistant Attaché representing the United States Secret Service (USSS). Cloud and his team coordinate bilateral law-enforcement efforts with Thai and regional agencies on cases involving counterfeit currency, economic crime, and cross-border cyber fraud. During the meeting, Cloud presented certificates of appreciation to Police Major General Sinloet for the province’s sustained success in major investigations over the past three years. Additional certificates were awarded to officers recognized for outstanding investigative work in key cases, particularly in Wichit, and Kamala. Recipients included: Police Colonel Somsak Thongkliang, Superintendent of Wichit Police Station Police Lieutenant Colonel Kittisak Boonchuen, Deputy Superintendent of Wichit Police Station Police Major Worawut Suwannarat, Inspector of Wichit Police Station Police Captain Thanathep Sakulthong, Inspector of Wichit Police Station Police Captain Somporn Thongchai, Inspector of Wichit Police Station Police Major Chayaporn Kaewprasert, Inspector of Wichit Police Station and other officers whose work supported broader regional enforcement actions. The visit’s primary purpose was to specifically recognize Police Colonel Somsak Thongkliang and officers of Kamala Police Station. In 2024, while serving as Superintendent of Kamala Police Station, Somsak led the arrest of foreign nationals residing in Kamala who were found using counterfeit U.S. dollar notes. Intelligence and evidence shared with U.S. authorities proved highly valuable in subsequent operations targeting the wider counterfeit-currency network across Southeast Asia. After transferring to the post of Superintendent of Wichit Police Station, Somsak’s team made additional arrests linked to the same type of counterfeit-currency activity. U.S. officials described these successive cases as significant contributions to the fight against transnational organized crime. Cloud and his delegation used the meeting to exchange operational information and formally express gratitude to the Phuket Provincial Police Commander and the officers under his command.
Original source
The Phuket Express