Police have discovered another 1,000 tonnes of carcinogenic cadmium at a depot in Samut Sakhon and are looking for at least 1,500 more tonnes that are still unaccounted for.
The latest find took place on Tuesday during a search at the warehouse in Krathum Baen district of the province adjacent to Bangkok, said Pol Col Aroon Wachirasrisukanya, deputy commander of the police Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division.
The find brings the total to 11,500 tonnes, out of an estimated 13,000 to 15,000 tonnes of cadmium that officials said had been illegally transported from Tak province. So far they have found the tailings in different locations in Samut Sakhon and Chon Buri.
Pol Col Aroon said police found the latest location by tracking a lorry transporting the substance after it stopped at a weigh station in Krathum Baen district.
The name of the warehouse was not disclosed by police, who identified the owner only as Num.
The owner told investigators that J&B Metal Co of Samut Sakhon had agreed to pay him 20,000 baht a month to rent space from Feb 1 to store up to 1,500 tonnes of cadmium and zinc. Police found only 1,000 tonnes in big bags in the depot during the raid.
Officials believe that all of the cadmium tailings came from a landfill in Tak province. They were linked with Bound and Beyond Plc, formerly known as Padaeng Industry Plc, a mining company in the northern province that has switched to the hospitality businesses.
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