A 55-year-old Dutchman arrested last year in Chon Buri, following a raid that saw the seizure of more than 100 million baht in assets, has been sentenced to 103 years in prison for money laundering.
However, Johan van Laarhoven's jail term was commuted to 68 years and eight months, though by law, he will spend a maximum of 20 years behind bars.
His wife, Mingkwan Kaen-in, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for complicity in the plot to launder proceeds from Van Laarhoven's chain of cannabis cafes in the Netherlands.
Senior officials from the Office of the Attorney-General, the Anti-Money Laundering Office, the Department of Special Investigation, and the Office of Narcotics Control Board arrested the couple at their two-rai housing compound in Sattahip district on July 23 last year following a request by Dutch authorities.
Assets worth more than 100 million baht, including two yachts and five luxury cars as well as several land title deeds, were seized by police.
According to prosecutors, the couple along with their accomplices, who are still at large, effected money transfers worth more than €500,000 from a company registered in Cyprus to Van Laarhoven's bank account in Thailand from July 3, 2008 to June 2, 2014.
They also transferred several million euros from Germany on a number of occasions.
The money was subsequently used to purchase several properties and buildings in Chon Buri as well as other assets including the two yachts and luxury cars.
Prosecutors said the Dutch government wants to prosecute Van Laarhoven for transnational crimes in the Netherlands so this was separated from the money laundering charge.
The court found Van Laarhoven and his wife guilty of 43 counts of money laundering.
His attorney, Tim Vis, told the Dutch-language Brabants Dagblad website that Van Laarhoven will appeal the verdict.
"This is terrible news," he was quoted as saying.
"Laarhoven was convicted based on the dubious actions of the Dutch public prosecutor and a judge who was not sufficiently able to assess Dutch drug-tolerance policies."
According to the Dutch Omroep Brabant site, Van Laarhoven moved to Thailand in 2008 and sold his stake in The Grass Company chain.
That same year, Dutch prosecutors began a large-scale investigation leading to raids in 2013, 2014 and 2015.