The Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) has temporarily seized assets worth more than 380 million baht from a former Ubon Ratchathani governor and his accomplices in connection with an alleged fraudulent bidding process for pesticide in the northeastern provinces.
The seizure was conducted after Amlo received the Office of the Auditor-General's report on corruption practices of officials under the Interior Ministry in a 2011-2012 procurement of pesticide which was distributed to farmland in the three northern provinces of Ubon Ratchathani, Maha Sarakham and Amnat Charoen.
The chemical was given away to farmers of pest-ravaged paddy fields in Ubon Ratchathani's Muang, Na Tan, Warin Chamrap, Nam Yuen and Khemarat districts, Maha Sarakham's Chiang Yuen district and Amnat Charoen's Muang and Phana districts.
Amlo yesterday released a seizure order, signed by Athikom Intuputi, chairman of the agency's Transaction Committee on Feb 9.
According to the order, authorities have seized or frozen 229 assets valued at more than 384 million baht from ex-Ubon Ratchathani governor Suraphol Saiphan; Narumol Maliwon, chief of the general administration department of the Ubon Ratchathani Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Centre Area 13; other individuals including Kriengkrai Wannasermsakul; and private companies.
The probe found the state officials allegedly committed a severe disciplinary violation by colluding with private companies in a fraudulent bidding process to seek a company procuring pesticide for the state.
The bidding practice was allegedly not in line with Finance Ministry regulations, resulting in unfair bidding and state losses.
Their acts also violated the Anti-Money Laundering Act and the Offences Relating to the Submission of Bids to Government Agencies Act.
The order said seized and frozen assets including bank accounts, furniture, vehicles, agricultural machinery, land plots, condominiums and buildings will be temporarily confiscated until April 29.
According to Amlo, the temporary seizures have been carried out since Jan 30 as suspects could transfer ownership of assets to others before a court ruling on the case which would make it difficult for authorities to permanently confiscate their assets.
However, the owners were also required to declare the sources of their properties to Amlo within 30 days to prove they acquired them legally.