30 Cars Stolen in UK Traced to Thailand, Returned to Owners

[webfact]

 

Thirty stolen UK vehicles sold in Thailand have been recovered and returned to their rightful owners, announced at a ceremony today attended by Justice Minister Thawee Sodsong and British Ambassador Mark Gooding.

 

The investigation began when UK authorities, through the National Crime Agency, requested help in locating 35 luxury vehicles stolen by a suspect named Mr. Inthrasak, also known as Boy Unity. The thefts occurred between 2016 and 2017, and the vehicles were smuggled into Thailand under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).

 

These high-end cars were fraudulently purchased through hire agreements from various UK companies. The group involved certified the vehicles as new to British customs, before flying them from Heathrow Airport to Singapore and then shipping them to Thailand.

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

“Criminals imported the stolen cars through three companies, submitting documents and paying taxes to the Thai Customs Department to ensure their validity. They then registered the vehicles at the Land Department and sold them to unsuspecting buyers,” said Pol. Col. Yutthana Praedam, acting head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).

 

A landmark raid by the DSI on May 18, 2017, at nine different locations in Bangkok resulted in the seizure of multiple luxury vehicles, including five BMW M4s, one Ford Mustang, one Honda GT Type-R, one Lamborghini Huracán Spyder, one Lexus, eight Mercedes-Benz, one Mini Cooper, three Nissan GT-Rs, five Porsches, two Land Rovers, and two Volkswagen GTIs.

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

Legal proceedings were launched against Inthrasak and 12 other suspects involved in the operation.

 

Mr. Watcharin Panurat, executive director for investigation, stated that the vehicles would be returned to the UK per legal requirements, and victims could file lawsuits against the companies that sold them the stolen cars. Last month, two victims won lawsuits against these companies, receiving full payment refunds.

 

Today's ceremony marks a significant win for the coordinated efforts between UK and Thai authorities, ensuring that justice is served and stolen property is rightfully returned.

 

TOP: British Ambassador Mark Gooding (left). Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

-- 2024-07-20

 

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[Patong2021]

That's a first, and I mean that in a positive way. Typically, these vehicles are transited through to Dubai, Beirut and various African ports never to be recovered. Western countries with lax judicial and police response to vehicle theft are targeted by organized crime gangs, many of whom are linked to international terrorism. 

[ezzra]

It's just goes to  show the level of corruptions that is going on everywhere so bad to be able to cheat their ways

to smuggles hi end cars with impunity...

[arick]

So it's not just African stealing cars from the west it's our lovely friends the Thais.

[nakhonandy]

First I've heard of stolen cars being resold here. Usually Europe or the Middle East. 

Good work from all involved to get them back.

[edwinchester]

Cars were recovered in Thailand more than seven years ago. From the article cars haven't yet been returned just the promise of return 'per legal requirements'.

My how slowly the wheels of justice turn here.

[PETERTHEEATER]

That explains the supercar I watched being loaded onto my Thai flight out of LHR to SUW last November.

[OneMoreFarang]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

victims could file lawsuits against the companies that sold them the stolen cars. Last month, two victims won lawsuits against these companies, receiving full payment refunds.

I wonder how often the customers will get all their money back.

[nobodysfriend]

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I wonder how often the customers will get all their money back.

 

I guess the real owners now are the insurance companies ...

If you own a lambo , would you leave it uninsured ....?

[hotchilli]

9 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

I guess the real owners now are the insurance companies ...

If you own a lambo , would you leave it uninsured ....?

I'm sure insurance pay-outs in the UK for stolen cars have already been paid out.

They will auction them to recoup losses.

[OneMoreFarang]

15 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

I guess the real owners now are the insurance companies ...

If you own a lambo , would you leave it uninsured ....?

I had the Thai customers in mind.

I don't know how easy it was or should have been to realize those cars were stolen. 

 

 

[dallen52]

56 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

Cars were recovered in Thailand more than seven years ago. From the article cars haven't yet been returned just the promise of return 'per legal requirements'.

My how slowly the wheels of justice turn here.

The promise is similar to thai lady repaying a loan.

Takes years.

 

[Tropicalevo]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A landmark raid by the DSI on May 18, 2017,

So the cars were recovered, by the police here in Thailand, seven years ago.

For seven years, the cars have been in police custody.

They obviously cannot just leave them 'parked up', for all of that time, so surely the police will have been taking them for daily 'test runs' to ensure that they are all in perfect working order?  

Edited July 20 by Tropicalevo

[mr_lob]

1 hour ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

That explains the supercar I watched being loaded onto my Thai flight out of LHR to SUW last November.

SUW? or BKK?

[J Branche]

I think they have to work out the logistics, who pays for shipping back to UK and what paperwork is needed to clear exports and imports customs in both countries.  Hopefully they can now get this solved.

[brianthainess]

On 7/20/2024 at 3:42 AM, webfact said:

stated that the vehicles would be returned to the UK per legal requirements,

30 Cars Stolen in UK Traced to Thailand, Returned to Owners

Another Misleading headline then. They have NOT been returned to the owners.

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, nakhonandy said:

First I've heard of stolen cars being resold here. Usually Europe or the Middle East. 

Good work from all involved to get them back.

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

stated that the vehicles would be returned to the UK per legal requirements,

They haven't got them back yet though. 

[Will B Good]

How the hell do they get them into the country?

 

I spent an age looking at how to bring our cars over and gave up.

[G Rex]

45 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

How the hell do they get them into the country?

 

I spent an age looking at how to bring our cars over and gave up.

 

The 'importers' aka smugglers, would have to know the right officials to get the paperwork completed.

Money talks!

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, G Rex said:

 

The 'importers' aka smugglers, would have to know the right officials to get the paperwork completed.

Money talks!

Yes I guess so.

 

I did ponder going that route, but too scary.

[JBChiangRai]

I have said it before on this forum.

 

Never buy a hi-end car from a grey importer, always buy from an authorised dealer.  That especially goes for Porsche's.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if as many as 50% of all grey imports have been stolen from the UK.

 

The sensible thing is to allow the UK to send a list of VIN Numbers electronically and to run the file for hits against Thailand's database.

[G Rex]

6 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Yes I guess so.

 

I did ponder going that route, but too scary.

 I bought a 2015 911 here a few years ago. The GPS system did not work , because it was not an active feature in Thailand (in the 991.1 model), but when turned on ithad a UK address as the home point.  Maybe the car was a grey import, maybe not....   anyway - I am very glad I have sold it now 

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, G Rex said:

 I bought a 2015 911 here a few years ago. The GPS system did not work , because it was not an active feature in Thailand (in the 991.1 model), but when turned on ithad a UK address as the home point.  Maybe the car was a grey import, maybe not....   anyway - I am very glad I have sold it now 

We each had a Range Rover SVR (tax free)!!!!....We would have made fortune if we'd been able to bring them over....gutted,

[JBChiangRai]

5 minutes ago, G Rex said:

 I bought a 2015 911 here a few years ago. The GPS system did not work , because it was not an active feature in Thailand (in the 991.1 model), but when turned on ithad a UK address as the home point.  Maybe the car was a grey import, maybe not....   anyway - I am very glad I have sold it now 

 

Unfortunately, that's not the end of your liability if it was stolen.

 

Each buyer in the chain has to sue the previous buyer for a refund.

 

I bought an electric Porsche new from the authorised agent in BKK.  I looked at grey imports and it didn't take much negotiation to get 2 million knocked off the already reasonable price.  I was certain it was stolen in the UK.

[Mr Meeseeks]

4 hours ago, nakhonandy said:

First I've heard of stolen cars being resold here. Usually Europe or the Middle East. 

Good work from all involved to get them back.

 

This has been a thing in Thailand since the 90's. Now and again we get a press release about it.

 

Just remember, nothing would have happened without pressure from the British Police and the Embassy. 

 

There are hundreds, possibly thousands of luxury cars and supercars in storage at Laem Chabang Port. 

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

How the hell do they get them into the country?

 

I spent an age looking at how to bring our cars over and gave up.

 

Nothing would have happened without Thai Customs explicit approval and assistance imo. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 hours ago, dallen52 said:

The promise is similar to thai lady repaying a loan.

Takes years.

 

 

If ever. 

 

Paying back money is an anathema to them. 

[JBChiangRai]

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

How the hell do they get them into the country?

 

I spent an age looking at how to bring our cars over and gave up.

 

One of the many previous schemes (possibly this one too) involves mules.  The mules are Thai students studying in prestigious universities in the UK.

 

They are persuaded to buy a hi-end car on finance, insure it including Gap insurance, and then conveniently the exporter steals the car.

 

It is then exported to Thailand, where an accomplice in Thailand turns a blind eye to the ownership requirements of the Thai student (owning it for 12 months) and it's re-registered here with import duty paid.

 

Sometimes, they are temporarily converted to LPG and registered that way (which is supposedly easier though I don't know why) and the LPG conversion removed in another province.

 

There was a case a few years ago of an unclaimed transporter with Lambo's and other cars that nobody would claim ownership of, I think one of them caught fire if IIRC.

 

 

[G Rex]

13 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

Unfortunately, that's not the end of your liability if it was stolen.

 

Each buyer in the chain has to sue the previous buyer for a refund.

 

 

I can sleep comfortably at night.

I sold it to a 'dealer/flipper' 2 years ago, and the car may have had several more owners by now.

Too many links (in the chain) methinks

[JBChiangRai]

1 minute ago, G Rex said:

 

I can sleep comfortably at night.

I sold it to a 'dealer/flipper' 2 years ago, and the car may have had several more owners by now.

Too many links (in the chain) methinks

 

My fingers are crossed for you.