A lorry driver has been arrested for allegedly smuggling more than 14,000 litres of petrol into the country at the Ban Pu Nam Ron border crossing in Kanchanaburi.
The arrest was made in Moo 7 of Muang district's tambon Ban Kao on Friday, according to police.
After being tipped off on Thursday that an oil smuggling network was trying to transport petrol across the border in tambon Ban Kao, chief of the Excise Department's Prevention and Suppression Division 1, Sub Lt Yongyut Phumiprathet, told his staff to send a team to the area to arrest the smugglers.
The officers searched an oil truck bearing a Kanchanaburi licence plate, and found the vehicle crossed the border with the untaxed oil.
Suthep Netnoisakul, 53, was driving the lorry and was taken into custody.
The officers seized 14,828 litres of oil in the operation.
Of this amount, 7,848 litres is benzene. The rest is diesel.
Officers say Mr Suthep, a resident of Kanchanaburi's Tha Muang district, admitted transporting oil across the border about 40 times over the past three months. He did not say who ordered the shipments.
The oil smuggling caused heavy losses of state revenue, officers said.
Excise department officer Chatchai Na Mahachai yesterday took Mr Suthep to Muang police station to face charges.
The officer asked Pol Lt Chairat Jan-anan, a police investigator, to press charges of importing untaxed consignments and possessing or having untaxed goods with intent to sell.
An investigation is underway to find other suspects involved, amid claims the shipments could be part of an oil smuggling network.