Narcotics suppression police on Sunday seized many plots of land and buildings worth about 80 million baht believed to have been acquired through the trade in drugs by a network operating in the northern provinces of Chiang Rai and Phayao.
The seizure of the assets was led by Pol Lt Gen Rewat Klinkesorn, chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau. Other authorities taking in part in the action included officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Office.
Pol Lt Gen Rewat said the assets seizure followed the arrests of Puwadol Jindawong and Veerachart Sangwanwong on May 27 with 2.7 million methamphetamine pills and 21 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine packed into cans labelled as bamboo shoots and destined for Bangkok.
Investigators found the two were members of a drug network led by Thirapat Kawi, 58, the proprietor of Sap Charoen Northern Rice Co in Phan district of Chiang Rai and Lanna Rubber Intertrade Co in Phayao's Mae Chai district.
The police obtained arrest warrants for Mr Thirapat and six other suspects: Ong-art Khuenphet, Prakong Anthapanya, Tinnakorn Mongkoljirapan, Atthaphan Rakkul, Amornthep Luaykrathok and Veerapong Promkrathok.
Mr Veerapong was arrested on Sunday. He said he was only hired to carry the cans containing the drugs.
Mr Thirapat and the other suspects are still at large.
The police and Amlo officials on Sunday seized the assets of Mr Thirapat's two companies and 13 plots of land and buildings in Phan district of Chiang Rai and Mae Chai district of Phayao belonging to other suspected members of the network.