British expat, 43, arrested after 'selling fake Rolex watches in Thailand'
- 4 years ago
A British expat has been arrested for allegedly selling fake Rolex watches in Thailand.
Mark Peter Dorey, 43, is said to have bought the copies for as little as 500 baht (around 12.70GBP) before listing them on Instagram for 12,000 Baht (around 304GBP).
But disgruntled customers complained to police who launched a sting operation yesterday (Jan 14) evening in Pattaya.
Dorey was arrested after meeting an undercover cop at a cafe where they negotiated a deal for 40 knock-off Rolex, Patek Phillipe and Cartier watches for 123,500 baht (3,130GBP).
Police charged Dorey and alleged supplier Virut Bua-raem, 45, with possessing counterfeit products with intent to sell.
Colonel Dulyaphat Techayasin, Director of the Bureau of Investigation, said: ''The investigation began when we received information from an informant. Surveillance was then carried out on the suspect and we started an undercover operation.
''The British man was arrested with 12 fake watches in his possession. He then took us to his accomplice who had 40 more.''
An officer posing as a customer met Dorey in a cafe first before they went to a nearby shopping centre to complete the wholesale deal.
The suspect then handed the fake products to the agent after being given the money. Waiting cops pounced and arrested Dorey.
Dorey allegedly confessed to buying the watches from supplier Virut Bua-raem before selling them on Instagram. He posted them to customers after they made bank transfers.
Officers said Dorey had been committing intellectual property infringement since 2018 by photographing luxury watches in their boxes with warranty certificates.
He listed the pictures on Instagram but the actual products that people received were cheap copies. Cops said they would also charge the Brit with working in the country without a work permit.
Colonel Dulyaphat Techayasin added: ''The suspect's main customers were tourists and expatriates living in Thailand. He cheated his own countrymen out of large amounts of money.
''This crime harms the victims financially, the companies that make the watches and the shops that are authorised to sell them. It is unfair on the people who spend a lot of money buying genuine watches.''
Mark Peter Dorey, 43, is said to have bought the copies for as little as 500 baht (around 12.70GBP) before listing them on Instagram for 12,000 Baht (around 304GBP).
But disgruntled customers complained to police who launched a sting operation yesterday (Jan 14) evening in Pattaya.
Dorey was arrested after meeting an undercover cop at a cafe where they negotiated a deal for 40 knock-off Rolex, Patek Phillipe and Cartier watches for 123,500 baht (3,130GBP).
Police charged Dorey and alleged supplier Virut Bua-raem, 45, with possessing counterfeit products with intent to sell.
Colonel Dulyaphat Techayasin, Director of the Bureau of Investigation, said: ''The investigation began when we received information from an informant. Surveillance was then carried out on the suspect and we started an undercover operation.
''The British man was arrested with 12 fake watches in his possession. He then took us to his accomplice who had 40 more.''
An officer posing as a customer met Dorey in a cafe first before they went to a nearby shopping centre to complete the wholesale deal.
The suspect then handed the fake products to the agent after being given the money. Waiting cops pounced and arrested Dorey.
Dorey allegedly confessed to buying the watches from supplier Virut Bua-raem before selling them on Instagram. He posted them to customers after they made bank transfers.
Officers said Dorey had been committing intellectual property infringement since 2018 by photographing luxury watches in their boxes with warranty certificates.
He listed the pictures on Instagram but the actual products that people received were cheap copies. Cops said they would also charge the Brit with working in the country without a work permit.
Colonel Dulyaphat Techayasin added: ''The suspect's main customers were tourists and expatriates living in Thailand. He cheated his own countrymen out of large amounts of money.
''This crime harms the victims financially, the companies that make the watches and the shops that are authorised to sell them. It is unfair on the people who spend a lot of money buying genuine watches.''