A Chinese citizen has been arrested for moving goods out of a duty-free zone without permission and abusing the tax exemption to benefit his own business, according to immigration police.
Immigration officers arrested the 53-year-old man, identified only as Wang, at an office in Ban Bung district of Chon Buri on Wednesday, according to Pol Maj Gen Phanthana Nuchanart, deputy chief of the Immigration Bureau.
Mr Wang was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court for colluding to move goods out of a duty-free zone without permission from customs officials.
It was reported that Mr Wang, who is listed as a board member of a company based in tambon Khlong Kiew, imported a variety of goods — bags, scarves, bedsheets, mobile phone cases, chairs, plastic boxes and lamps — without paying import duties by claiming they were to be sold in a duty-free zone.
However, the products that the company claimed were meant for duty-free shops then disappeared, with Mr Wang unable to provide documents relating to the imported goods.
Customs officials then filed a complaint against the company, Mr Wang and others.
In a separate case, immigration police said they had arrested a 22-year-old Taiwanese citizen in Pattaya for overstaying his visa.
A background check with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office showed that the man, identified only as Liu, was wanted in Taiwan for fraud. He was reportedly associated with a call centre scam gang, Pol Maj Gen Phanthana said.