Officials from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) have busted a gang that traded antique objects that were illegally taken from various historical sites across the North.
CIB commissioner, Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, said on Monday that a joint operation carried out by the CIB and the Fine Arts Department (FAD) resulted in the arrest of three people, identified only as Thossaporn, Thodsaphon, and Sri-on.
The trio were arrested for illegally recovering and selling antique and/or historical objects, for which they face up to seven years in prison, a fine not exceeding 700,000 baht, or both.
The police operation also included raids at nine locations across Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Phayao, and Lampang, from which they seized over 1,000 antiques, 11 metal detectors, four passbooks and various excavation tools.
When asked about the authenticity of the seized objects, FAD director-general Phanombut Chantharachot said the objects had been verified as genuine. In fact, he said, some of the items turned out to be worth studying further.
Among the objects seized in the raids were an elephant-shaped Lanna-style bronze statue which is at least 500 years old, he said.
Other objects included a cow-shaped bronze statue that is at least 1,600 years old, porcelain utensils, tattoo needles, ancient coins and jewellery. Some of these objects were found in territories in present-day China and India which were once under Siamese control.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said that the investigators became aware of the gang's activities after they received a tip-off from an antique preservation club. Thossaporn and Thodsaphon were the masterminds behind the scheme, while Sri-on worked as their excavator.
Investigators said the gang made about 200,000 baht each month from the illegal sales of antique objects, with over 10 million baht circulating in the gang's bank accounts over the past three years.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said that Thossaporn and Thodsaphon have acknowledged the charges against them, but Sri-on has not.
Police are now looking for a couple of alleged traders identified as Athiphong and Suchin.