26 Luxury Cars Stolen In UK And Sold As New Vehicles In Thailand Seized

[webfact]

 

TNR Staff

 

THE DEPARTMENT of Special Investigation (DSI) today (Sept. 19) announced the seizure of 26 out of 35 luxury vehicles stolen in the UK and sold as new vehicles in Thailand after being contacted by the British authorities to track them down, Naewna newspaper said.

 

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin together with Mr. Traiyarit Temhiwong, DSI’s chief, and Pol. Lt. Col. Payao Thongsen, DSI’s deputy chief, said at a press conference that operation “Titanium” succeeded in seizing 26 luxury vehicles stolen in the UK then sent to Thailand with fake documents stating they were new after which they were sold at showrooms here.

 

In 2017 the British embassy had exercised a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) in asking DSI to investigate the theft of 35 expensive cars valued at 100 million baht but with this tripling when sold in Thailand to reach 300 million baht.

 

Full story: https://thainewsroom.com/2022/09/19/26-luxury-cars-stolen-in-uk-and-sold-as-new-vehicles-in-thailand-seized/

 

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[Mac Mickmanus]

The cars owners must be really pleased that they are going to get their cars back.............................from.............the Thai..............authorities 

[waxon]

It took RTP 5 years to find them. Isn’t there a statute of limitations for GTA?

 

“…then sent to Thailand with fake documents stating they were new…“ Must of been pretty good forgeries to fool the experts at Customs. 

[Justtaste]

So how these cars really left from UK without customs being aware there????? Someone please help me with answers ????

[mrfill]

14 minutes ago, Justtaste said:

So how these cars really left from UK without customs being aware there????? Someone please help me with answers ????

1. Crate up car

2. Place crate in container

3. Declare contents of container as automotive parts.

 

Customs cannot physically check every container - Felixstowe handles over 11000 a day..

[Zack61]

Purchased in Thailand by a guy called Joe. 

[sammieuk1]

Phew! no mention of 2010 Mitsubishi lancers ????

[ezzra]

2 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

The cars owners must be really pleased that they are going to get their cars back.............................from.............the Thai..............authorities 

The UK owners probably already got compensated by the insurance companies, so it's the insurance companies that will bet the cars back, however. it's alarming how easy nowadays to steal a marque car fool the UK customs, ship it out, fool (bribe?) the Thai customs and sold in Thailand legally... 

[khunjeff]

30 minutes ago, mrfill said:

1. Crate up car

2. Place crate in container

3. Declare contents of container as automotive parts.

 

Customs cannot physically check every container - Felixstowe handles over 11000 a day..

The article claims that the cars went by air. That seems bizarre, since it would have been needlessly expensive, but if it really did happen, the vehicles and their documents would have been much more thoroughly examined than if sent by sea.

 

"DSI said investigation revealed that all the vehicles were stolen in England from July 2016 to March 2017. They were then flown to Singapore from where they were shipped to Thailand."

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

The cars owners must be really pleased that they are going to get their cars back.............................from.............the Thai..............authorities 

Yes, I imagine the demand for the return of lots of dosh from the spent insurance company may well come as a nice surprise 

[steve187]

the same thing happened in Malta last year with Canadian cars, and years ago with Uk registered stolen cars. cars were bnot as exotic as the Thai ones.

So not that hard to fool customs etc.

[Bim Smith]

Reminds me of a story my old boss told me. He was the senior investigating officer looking into luxury cars stolen in the UK and shipped out to Pakistan. They flew a team out only to find the stolen cars being owned by senior police officers there. They returned to the UK empty handed.

[dogfish180]

1 hour ago, Justtaste said:

So how these cars really left from UK without customs being aware there????? Someone please help me with answers ????

Generally disassembled, shipped as spares in various shipments. Then reassembled this end. Obviously by certified Lamborghini technicians ????????

[Chongalulu]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

The UK owners probably already got compensated by the insurance companies, so it's the insurance companies that will bet the cars back, however. it's alarming how easy nowadays to steal a marque car fool the UK customs, ship it out, fool (bribe?) the Thai customs and sold in Thailand legally... 

The cars will be staying here ,not back to U.K. where they will be classified as stolen recovered (diminished value).As you say they are the insurers property and a deal will be done by them with whoever possesses them now for compensation,or they’ll be resold here.

[davemos]

Maybe another customs auction coming up ?

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, Justtaste said:

So how these cars really left from UK without customs being aware there????? Someone please help me with answers ????

Oh my ... you're not implying the UK has just as much corruption as TH ????

 

Say it's not so, it simply can't be ... ????

God save the Queen ... oops, I mean King

[topt]

So what is the law here in Thailand as it applies to this - 

From the linked article -

Quote

Regarding the nine remaining cars, DSI informed eight buyers last month that they had purchased a stolen vehicle and to return them. However they refused to do so while the ninth buyer cannot yet be contacted.

Will we ever hear any follow up on these 9 vehicles.....

[Bkk Brian]

13 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Say it's not so, it simply can't be ... ????

God save the Queen ... oops, I mean King

???? cheap and disrespectful

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, nchuckle said:

they’ll be resold here.

at private police auctions.

[kcpattaya]

“Joe Ferrari” Uttanaphon springs to mind...

[Cake Monster]

I read in a report from another source, that most of these Cars were stolen about 5 Years ago,

They may have come to Thailand via the Middle East, where they have had the Bolts blasted out of them before shipping here.

[Headgame]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

The UK owners probably already got compensated by the insurance companies, so it's the insurance companies that will bet the cars back, however. it's alarming how easy nowadays to steal a marque car fool the UK customs, ship it out, fool (bribe?) the Thai customs and sold in Thailand legally... 

I don’t believe you can legally sell a stolen vehicle. That means the buyer loses but of course will sue the dealer.

[phetphet]

What puzzles me is how they could sell the stolen cars as new.

 

Were they brand new cars stolen before sale in the UK?  Or second hand cars sold as new? That must have required some work and replacement parts to hide that they were used.

 

There must be some p****d off Thai owners having paid for, and having confiscated their 'new' pride and joy. That is of course, if they were not aware of what was happening.

 

 

[Willy Wombat]

Thailand .  The Asian Albania of stolen cars.
 

[Swampy999]

2 hours ago, davemos said:

Maybe another customs auction coming up ?

With only a select few bidders invited ????????

[FriendlyFarang]

4 minutes ago, phetphet said:

What puzzles me is how they could sell the stolen cars as new.

Maybe they were sold as "demo cars" by the dealers, not as 100% new.

[RayWright]

Nice little earner.

[Jen65]

1 hour ago, topt said:

So what is the law here in Thailand as it applies to this - 

From the linked article -

Will we ever hear any follow up on these 9 vehicles.....

Those outstanding stolen vehicles will now no doubt be in Laos, Cambodia or China !! 

[klauskunkel]

 

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin pointing to the Lamborghini logo

After the press conference Somsak accompanied by Traiyarit test-drove a green Lamborghini

 

Don't hit any ornamental lamp posts on your joy ride...

[Aussieroaming]

The illegal trade would slow down rapidly if the Thai authorities reduced excise and tax duties on imported vehicles.

 

I'd say some senior Thai customs officials will be shredding evidence at the moment.