Police have arrested 14 scrap dealers for operating their businesses without permits after raids in Bangkok.
Officers on Thursday raided 20 shops in On Nut Soi 86 in Prawet district of Bangkok, where a municipal rubbish disposal facility is located.
The raid was prompted by complaints from local residents about stinky trash that has caused air and water pollution and negatively affected the environment and people’s health, said Pol Col Arun Wachirasrisukanya, head of the Natural Resources and Environment Crime Suppression Division.
Fourteen businesses were found to be illegally operating without permits, and their owners were arrested.
The suspects told police they collected the rubbish that people sold to their shops before sorting it for sale.
A walkway in On Nut Soi 86 is blocked by large amounts of rubbish. (Photo: Wassayos Ngamkham)