Pattaya Police announced on Wednesday the arrest of an Algerian man, Abdelmalek Boukemara, for possession of fake credit cards.  The 35 year old Algerian had been a part of a network in France that organised a system of hacking online banking and credit card information from unsuspecting victims.  He had accumulated hundreds of cards, and when he was caught he was in possession of 114 fake cards.  The arrest was made after an investigative Police team got wind of the man’s suspicious movements with withdrawing money and sending large amounts of money abroad. His bank records showed that on a regular basis, he was sending nearly a million baht out of the country without any reasonable income source in the country.  The Algerian was apprehended after withdrawing money from an ATM in Soi 7 off Pattaya Second Road. Police accompanied him to his residence in Soi 17 where they found over 100 cards.  He confessed to being part of a network and came to Thailand believing its technology was not up to date in tracing him. From his first days in Phuket to his last in Pattaya the man is believed to have accumulated well over 10 million baht.  He was detained for further investigation and a search is now on for his fellow conspirators also believed to be residing in the area.

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