Police seize nearly 1.4 billion baht assets from alleged drug network in Chiang Rai
The Department of Special Investigations seized nearly 1.4 billion baht in assets after searching three houses in Chiang Rai province yesterday. The houses belong to suspected members of a drug network. The assets included 246 bank accounts, 155 cars and motorcycles worth about 130 million baht, and land title deeds for 232 blocks of land worth about 1.3 billion baht. The DSI also found documents at the houses which showed about 1.9 billion baht in circulation.
The deputy director of the Bureau of Consumer Crime Protection said the DSI will summon people who owned the assets to explain how they were acquired. If they can’t provide credible evidence, the assets will be confiscated under the Narcotics Act. The deputy director said authorities will also take legal action against the alleged criminals under the Money Laundering Prevention and Suppression Act, and for tax evasion under the Revenue Code.
Two of the houses searched were in Mae Sai district, and the third was in Chiang Saen district.
In January, Soldiers arrested a drug courier in Chiang Rai carrying 6.6 million methamphetamine pills. One army lieutenant credited drug suppression agencies in Northern Thailand for the large seizure of drugs.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
