Businessman rejects rumours of arrest over marijuana seizure at Bangkok airport
A businessman is rejecting rumours that he was arrested after customs seized his marijuana products at a Bangkok airport. Customs at Suvarnabhumi airport seized 5.3 kilograms of illegally imported marijuana flowers and hemp products from him earlier this week. He had allegedly smuggled the products in from the US.
The suspect, who many Thais call ‘Tom Kreuasophon,’ is known by some as a supporter of marijuana legalisation. His real name is Julpaos Kresophon. Julpaos reportedly claimed that his package with the products contained metal. The marijuana products didn’t have the required approval from the department of agriculture.
Customs said they would prosecute Julpaos for breaking the law on the importation of marijuana. But Julpaos has called rumours that he was already arrested “fake news.”
Julpaos is known to be a friend of Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
Cannabis was delisted as a Category 5 narcotic on June 9, but clear rules and regulations about importing and exporting cannabis are yet to be written into legislation. Until the “Cannabis and Hemp Act” is enacted, police aren’t sure what the punishment is for smuggling marijuana into the kingdom.
However, illegally importing any prohibited item is punishable by a fine of no more than four times the amount of the value of the goods and/or up to 10 years in prison according to the Customs Act of 2017.
SOURCE: Thai Rath | Sanook | Khaosod
