A senior prosecutor has been found guilty by the anti-corruption agency of bribing customs officials to turn a blind eye to rhino horn smuggling worth over 170 million baht to evade criminal charges seven years ago.
The Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) announced on Tueday that it had found Nopparat Boonsri, a former deputy Saraburi chief public prosecutor in charge of rights protection, legal assistance and law enforcement, culpable of bribery in 2017.
NACC secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol said the commission found that Nopparat, formerly named Worapas Boonsri, who previously held the rank of a police major, offered assets or benefits to officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport Passenger Control Customs Office in return for allowing a group of smugglers to bring in 21 rhino horns weighing 49.4 kilogrammes into the country without facing criminal charges.
The NACC ruled that Nopparat has violated Section 144 of the Criminal Code, Section 123/5 of the anti-corruption law and disciplinary regulations regarding acts of bribery.
However, Nopparat, while subject to the indictment in court, had always claimed to be innocent until proven guilty.
It was reported at the time that authorities seized 21 rhino horns worth 173 million baht in total at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Footage from CCTV cameras showed the luggage containing the horns being moved through the airport premises by Nopparat, two police officers and two women.
Ahead of the criminal investigation, Nopparat was transferred to an inactive post at the Department of Southern Bangkok Civil Litigation on April 3, 2017.
On Nov 20, 2018, he was taken to the Samut Prakan Provincial Court, which sentenced him to four years in jail for importing restricted items without paying customs duty and for unauthorised import of wild animal remains.
