Goods seized for tax evasion in the past four months represent about 90 million baht in excise tax, according to Somchai Poonsawat, the director-general of the Excise Department.

He said the seizures from October to January included 75,939 litres of local alcoholic beverages, worth almost four million baht in excise tax; 5,102 litres of foreign alcoholic drinks, 1.5 million baht; 1.5 million litres of oil-related products, 10 million baht; and three million cigarettes, which would have fetched taxes of 7.4 million baht.

The department said that during the same period there were 13,913 tax evasion cases resulting in 149.5 million baht worth of fines, plus additional fines of 277,000 baht ordered by the courts.

Mr Somchai said the department had enlisted the help of the Audit and Law Enforcement Bureau, the Customs Department, Royal Thai Police and Royal Thai Navy in its fight against tax cheats.

The areas at greatest risk for smuggling are along the border, in heavily populated areas, and service centres.

Sweep operations to catch smugglers and tax evaders will also indirectly help improve consumers' health since smuggled merchandise is often defective or contaminated with hazardous substances, he added.

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