Chalerm: Traffickers suspected of smuggling money abroad to face arrest

[webfact]

Traffickers suspected of smuggling money abroad to face arrest
Khwanhathai Malakan,
Anan Wijitpracha
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The authorities are preparing to arrest suspects who have allegedly smuggled more than Bt10 billion in cash earned from drug trafficking out of the country, Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said yesterday in his capacity as chairman of the government's anti-drug campaign.

"We already have some evidence," he said, adding that the Anti-Money-Laundering Office had detected more than Bt10 billion in smuggled cash, while the Provincial Police Region 5 office had tracked down more than Bt1 billion.

"We have managed to prevent the smuggling of Bt3 million in illegal drug money to date," Chalerm said.

He reiterated the government's plan to suppress the illicit drug trade by halting the transfer of laundered drug funds out of the country.

'Targets met'

The war on drugs in other areas - including the government's drug rehabilitation programme - had already achieved its target, he said.

The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) also announced this month that its target for the number of arrested drug traffickers and drug seizures had been met.

In a related development, ONCB officials arrested Jakkrit Boonpinij, 45, in Pathum Thani yesterday for possession of 1.4 million methamphetamine pills worth about Bt420 million.

Jakkrit, who has pleaded guilty, told police that he was paid Bt200,000 for each drug delivery.

"My task was to pick up parcels from a transport company behind the Talaad Thai Market and drive a pickup with those parcels to a spot somewhere on a motorway," Jakkrit said.

He claimed he did not know the real name of the person who had hired him, but said it was a woman.

According to this suspect, the drugs were delivered from Phayao. He claimed to have picked up parcels 31 times, but said not all of them contained illicit drugs.

-- The Nation 2013-09-28

[arthurboy]

Chalerm said...

Guffaws all round, people.

[NongKhaiKid]

He's been too quiet for too long.

Naturally targets have been met and thankfully no mention made of 90 days.

One thing I don't understand is that B11 Billion has been tracked down but only B3 Million prevented from leaving the country, does that mean the balance has already gone ? If so it mirrors the ex-monk's bank accounts in that the stable door was bolted...!

With the money involved in drug trafficking a lot of powerful and well connected people are involved,

'nuff said !

[cloghead]

Ten billion baht smuggled out already. Three million baht interdicted.

If those figures are correct then somehow 9,997,000,000 baht now safely out of Thailand.

Hmmm...wonder where all that moolah is?

[bigbamboo]

It's jolly decent of Chalerm to give due notice to the suspects involved of the possibility of their impending arrest..

I wonder if they'll stick around or disappear like all the other big time Thai crooks.

[anon467848]

Half the cabinet probably smuggle money overseas taking advantage of the exchange rates when it suits them, TIT..

Edited September 28, 2013 by merlin2002

[noitom]

He was only a mule and bag man, yet he knew that not all of the 31 parcels contained illicit drugs.

[FarangTalk]

Half the cabinet probably smuggle money overseas taking advantage of the exchange rates when it suits them, TIT..

All politicians, corruption is certainly not limited to the current cabinet, much as some posters would like us to believe.

[lee b]

I really hope they get to grips with this, and hopefully one day no money will be able to leave the country for this horrid trade

[Valentine]

Half the cabinet probably smuggle money overseas taking advantage of the exchange rates when it suits them, TIT..

All politicians, corruption is certainly not limited to the current cabinet, much as some posters would like us to believe.

Do you honestly think there are some people who believe corruption is limited to the current government. I do not recall any posts to that effect but do recall some stating that corruption now is on a vast scale compared to before. A classic one in the past must have been prior to Chavalit devaluing the Baht as there was no doubt a huge conversion to USD by many of the cronies around at the time, most of whom still thrive today & taking part in the current mega feast.

[SinCityGr8One]

Why smuggle money out? Just fill up trash bags with it and pile it up all around the house. If after anyone finds the stash of cash, just explain it is gifts from your daughter's wedding. Or is the that MO restricted for MP's, Elites and Hi-So's only?

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[siampolee]

Interesting to note that there does seem to be an unaffected flow of ''smuggled'' cash to a certain Arabian state where a convicted felon resides, or perhaps it is'' resided'' if the rumours one hears are true concerning the current residential status accorded to that felon by the government of that Arabian state..

Is the redoubtable Chalerm going to act to stifle and then confiscate that money?

[asdecas]

How about politicians who smuggle their murderous sons abroad, do they face arrest too?

[soi41]

Go easy on Chalerm guys!

Only a little more than 3 months to go before we can behead him for not bringing his master back!

Would like to see that "target met"!

[LuckyLew]

me thinks he should look closer to home to find the real big wrong doers

[siampolee]

One does wonder how such a paragon of virtue as Chalerm could actually afford a pink Bentley, only one other like it in the world.

Must have been a big lottery win that paid for said motor car I suppose.

[mrtoad]

Will they include checking on the DL and his money's being moved out of the country?

[Carl64]

Mmmmmm are they only starting to do this now???

[Thai at Heart]

Ten billion baht smuggled out already. Three million baht interdicted.

If those figures are correct then somehow 9,997,000,000 baht now safely out of Thailand.

Hmmm...wonder where all that moolah is?

Excellent effort. 99.9% got out. Then we will arrest them and negotiate payment to secure their release in USD. Baht is obviously so last year..

[SOTIRIOS]

....but anybody else......to date.......like the fugitive monk.....never mind....

[ramrod711]

Can't remember the details, but i read an article naming several Thai people who had money in (i think) the Bahamas. I know Carabao was alleged to be one of them. I am curious as to how a certain ex PM had enough money outside the country to buy a Premier league football team.

[cgphuket]

Who will arrest the police and army? The post office?

[Neilly]

'Targets met'

[arthurboy]

Who will arrest the police and army?  The post office?

 

Guffaw. Cheers.

sent from my hippo phone

[marell]

I really hope they get to grips with this, and hopefully one day no money will be able to leave the country for this horrid trade

Yes, this money should rightfully stay in-country.

Edited September 28, 2013 by marell

[Local Drunk]

Why is the Minister of Labour reporting on this? Isn't this the territory of the DSI, or at least the police? Are drug traffickers now considered to be 'Illegal workers?'

[jbrain]

Since when does this fall under the labor department that Chalerm is responsible for now /

Oh yeah, smuggling is working

[Local Drunk]

To quote the article: "The war on drugs" I thought Yingluck was the defense minister.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post and the reply to it.

[MMarlow]

Since when does this fall under the labor department that Chalerm is responsible for now /

Oh yeah, smuggling is working

It doesn't, it falls under the government's anti-drug campaign that Chalerm is chairman of also, as it said in the report.