Police have investigated into an accusation that some Songkhla forest officials might have switched seized agarwood in their custody.
The case involved the seizure of 13.2kg of grade-A agarwood worth approximately 65 million baht from Hamral Halabi on March 27, 2016 at the checkpoint in Baan Kuan Mid in Songkhla’s Chana district.
Later, the Nathawee Provincial Court ruled the agarwood be returned to the owner. But when officials of the Forest Resources Management Office 13 (Songkhla) brought the wood to Mr Hamral, he refused to accept it saying that it was not the same wood seized from him earlier, according to a Matichon Online report.
Deputy police spokesman Kritsana Pattanacharoen said following the seizure, the investigating officer at Kuan Mid police station had followed the protocol by sending the wood for examination at the Forest Resources Management Office 13 (Songkhla), which later confirmed that it was the agarwood. It had since been kept at the office until the court ruling.
The commander of Kuan Mid police station filed a petition against the related officials at the forest resources management office on Nov 21. They were accused of abusing power as state officials to cause damage to others or negligence. They were also charged with embezzling properties in custody.
Pol Col Kritsana said the police had accepted the case and already questioned the agarwood owner and officials who examined the wood. He pledged to ensure justice for both sides and in the process of collecting evidence for further legal procedures.