Eleven arrested for illegal gold mining in Kanchanaburi
Officials from the Department of Conservation Area 3, led by Chutidet Kamnonchanut, collaborated with Thong Pha Phum National Park officials and the Surasi Task Force to arrest 11 people for illegal gold mining and wildlife hunting.
The operation took place yesterday, March 29, in the Pilokki forest area, Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi province, after reports of such activities in the conservation area.
The officers navigated through streams and hills to reach the targeted area, where they discovered several motorcycles and evidence of extensive digging, with holes reaching depths of 10 to 15 metres, indicating ongoing illegal gold mining activities.
Officers set up an ambush at the site and encountered approximately 20 people involved in mining activities. They managed to apprehend 11 people, while the rest, familiar with the terrain, managed to escape.
Preliminary investigations revealed that all those arrested were of Karen and Myanmar origin. They were found with mining tools, including plastic bags filled with soil, fertiliser sacks, hammocks, headlamps, and gold sieves.
Additionally, a .22 calibre rifle with 45 rounds of ammunition and remains of various wildlife such as barking deer, civets, frogs, and softshell turtles were seized. The suspects, along with the confiscated items, were handed over to the Pilok Police Station for legal proceedings, reported KhaoSod.
Yutthaphong Damsrisuk, head of Thong Pha Phum National Park, stated that this operation is part of stringent measures to prevent and combat illegal mining and wildlife hunting, which severely impact the ecosystem.
Relevant agencies will continue to patrol and monitor high-risk areas to maintain the integrity of the conservation zones.
In similar news, forestry police arrested a Vietnamese man and five Thai nationals at an illegal gold mining site on Panompa Mountain in Phichit province on January 10.
The operation was carried out following reports that a Vietnamese investor had entered the mountain in Nong Phra subdistrict, Wang Sai Phun district, to mine for gold.
Latest Thailand News
