Thai Customs claim big cigarette, booze bust

[webfact]

Customs claim big cigarette, booze bust
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Customs Department chief Rakhop Srisuppha-at yesterday announced the seizure of tax-evading cigarettes and alcohol drinks, allegedly smuggled by sea from Cambodia to Samut Prakan's Phra Pra Daeng Port.

The officials' search of the boat "Chiang Lan" allegedly found 23,500 cigarette packets worth Bt2 million, along with some foreign brand alcohol drinks.

Officials arrested boat captain Sopon Wanthong, 52, and crewmember Kan Prajusamai and another worker identified only as Sompon for smuggling goods to evade tax.

Rakhop also reported a separate seizure of 2,210 bottles of Glutathione whitening substance, worth Bt1 million, allegedly smuggled from Singapore via Samut Prakan's Suvarnabhumi Airport.


-- The Nation 2013-10-24

[lee b]

wow thats a hell of a catch !

[Thai at Heart]

Wooohoo. 66k USD of cigarette. less than the tax missed on one Ferrari.

[ignis]

Picture above can be anywhere in Thailand, most Markets I have been to have at least 1x stall with Cigs and or booze on, even down to little Village markets. at 110 - 180 baht per 200 cig carton is very much cheaper than any shops price. of course have seen in some Thai shops a Thai ask for something and the cashier get a pack or 2 from under counter [no brand I have heard of or what is on the shelves]

[clockman]

Just for show! While the big ones get away.

[ezzra]

I always read those reports with a pinch of salt,, why do I find it hard to believe that only the

declared amount was confiscated and not probably dabble that? maybe it has to do with

the integrity of Thai officials and rift corruptions in this country....

[jaltsc]

The problem wasn't that they tried to smuggle the cigarettes and booze into Thailand. The problem was they tried to smuggle the cigarettes and booze without paying the proper bribes .

[rfukata]

the guy looks happy at the bottle of whiskeys as this seizure will support the annual Christmas party booze and cigarettes for this year.

[gemini81]

the guy looks happy at the bottle of whiskeys as this seizure will support the annual Christmas party booze and cigarettes for this year.

You're not joking; family friend is a DDG there, and all the gifts he hands out to us and others is booze and fags. Asked how he got them, he said they're seized and so up to the boss' discretion there how they wanna use them, sell them to friends, consume or giveaway. Pays to be a big boss I guess, is one thought.

[pomchop]

Texas 5 cigs are made in Malaysia and Singapore.....can't imagine ANY vice product being cheaper to buy in Singapore unless they also evade the Singapore sin taxes......

[bigbamboo]

There's a rarity in Thailand..... a big bust.

[PhilipCook]

Why buy Penfolds at the store for 5-6k a bottle when you can get it through alternative channels(Sattahip) for 2k.

[ronrat]

The more Governments get greedy about cigarettes the more this will happen. Som Nom Nar

[Emdog]

Hmmm I wonder where they will be "disposed of". Check the local markets? Somebody forget to pass an envelope it seems.

[jacko45k]

the guy looks happy at the bottle of whiskeys as this seizure will support the annual Christmas party booze and cigarettes for this year.

You're not joking; family friend is a DDG there, and all the gifts he hands out to us and others is booze and fags. Asked how he got them, he said they're seized and so up to the boss' discretion there how they wanna use them, sell them to friends, consume or giveaway. Pays to be a big boss I guess, is one thought.

So effectively the tax due goods made it into the country without generating taxation!