Money laundering office seizes hefty sum of cash

Money laundering office seizes hefty sum of cash

The Anti-Money Laundering Office has seized 98 million baht from two Lao brothers who had tried to smuggle the cash out of the country in December of last year, hidden in their vehicle, through Nong Khai province.

Deputy secretary-general Pol Maj Gen Romsit Weeriyasan said yesterday that Amlo's transaction committee had frozen the money for 90 days pending further investigation but now have confiscated the money.

The cash was seized from Suban Tiasiri, 30, and Khambon Tiasiri, 24, on Dec 12, 2017. Customs officials suspected they had smuggled the cash into Thailand in a different currency earned through suspicious means, exchanged it for baht, and were trying to smuggle it back to Laos, where Thai currency can be spent without having to report its possession.

The Lao brothers had been stopped while crossing the border checkpoint on the Thai-Lao friendship bridge in Nong Khai. They were travelling in a Toyota Land Cruiser with Lao licence plates.

Thai authorities found several milk cartons inside the vehicle containing stacks of 1,000-baht banknotes covered with milk packs.

On closer inspection, they found more money hidden throughout the vehicle, including the engine.

The Finance Ministry requires travellers to declare possession of foreign currency in cash valued at 450,000 baht or more when entering or leaving Thailand.

The two men claimed they operated a foreign currency exchange business.

In a second case, Pol Maj Gen Romsit said that Amlo has seized assets belonging to Chollada Watthano and some other suspects worth 4.4 million baht temporarily for 90 days for further inspection.

Chollada was sentenced to 30 years in prison for violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code and fraud, he said.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT