The Customs Department and Bangkok police on Tuesday put on show seized contraband worth more than 30 million baht in the form of cars, motorcycles, wine, solar cell panels and pirated goods.
Most of the contraband was displayed at the Customs Department's Lat Krabang office, where containers of goods are routinely checked and X-rayed.
Deputy director-general Vichak Apirugnunchai said the seized goods included four used Nissan Cube vehicles worth 3 million baht, a used Citroen 2CV vehicle worth 1 million baht, 5,183 bottles of wine worth 9 million baht, 47 tonnes of dried chilli worth 4 million baht, 1,680 solar cell panels worth 10 million baht, 3,840 pirated toys worth 1.5 million baht, as well as three used Nissan Skyline cars, four Toyota car frames and eight used motorcycles worth 2 million baht.
At Lumpini police station, Bangkok police chief Sanit Mahathavorn showed about 7,000 pirated products seized from an interprovincial passenger bus normally plying between Bangkok and Rong Kluea market in Sa Kaeo province.
Pol Lt Gen Sanit said police had followed the bus from the market in Aranyaprathet district until it finally parked beside Lumpini park in Bangkok.
They arrested the driver, Had Thongbu, 47 of Chai Nat province, and Niran Damthunghong, 47 of Sa Kaeo.
The chief quoted Mr Had as saying they were paid 10,000 baht per trip to carry pirated products from traders at Rong Kluea market to traders in Bangkok, and he had done so for years.
The pirated products included brandname clothes, bags, watches and eye-wear.
Photos by Pattanapong Hirunard
Bangkok police chief Sanit Mahathavorn, right, inspects seized pirated goods at Lumpini police station in Bangkok on Tuesday. (Photo by Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)