Amlo seizes B50m assets in farm case

Amlo seizes B50m assets in farm case

The Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) has seized assets totalling 50 million baht and reclaimed almost 4,000 rai from people encroaching on state land for agriculture in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Amlo secretary-general Seehanat Prayoonrat yesterday said the agency had seized assets from three suspects involved in the scandal.

They are the well-known Pak Thong Chai district hotelier Ammarin "Sia Kang" Yusukdee, and two residents identified as Sompote Srimai and Songchai Paesungnoen.

The trio were charged with encroaching on a swath of land, located in tambon Nong Ta Kai of Nakhon Ratchasima's Sung Noen district.

He said Amlo sought a ruling in October from the Council of State, the government's legal arm, on whether it could act against the suspects.

The Council of State said it could, agreeing the suspects had exploited natural resources for commercial gain.

Col Sommai Busaba, a member of the 2nd Army's legal team, said prosecuting the suspects might take some time. The case was serious, so the gravity of the charges was likely to discourage other people from encroaching on state land.

Pol Col Seehanat said Amlo had confiscated a combined 50 million baht worth of assets belonging to the suspects, comprising 30 cars and tractors, 12 bank accounts, title deeds, as well as houses and buildings in Wang Nam Khieo and Pak Thong Chai districts.

Mr Ammarin and the others had turned the state land into fields of sugarcane, cassava and corn farms. The money from the sale of the crops will be confiscated too, Col Sommai said.

All of the vehicles were used in encroaching on and damaging the state land.

They form part of the evidence which Amlo will use to press charges against the suspects.

Amlo is also investigating money trails connected to the encroachment, Pol Col Seehanat said.

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