Thai customs seize illegal cigarettes worth 38 Million THB. The cigarettes were hidden inside 800 crates stored in 3 different boats that were all seized. Potch Anon from Thai Customs Department reported the discovery on 1 June 2022. Customs have enhanced their policy to find illegal items for the justice of tax purposes, to protect society, and the environment. This includes contraband cigarettes. A high percentage of illegal cigarettes come through the Southern part of Thailand. Related sectors are all working together to help find and seize these products.
Custom officials and the Narathiwat Province Police worked together and inspected an area 1 kilometer from the Ban Ton Beach in the main city of Narathiwat Province. Officials spotted a boat moving crates into 2 smaller fishing boats. Officials revealed themselves and asked to search the boat. There were 11 workers on the boat and upon searching there were 800 crates with 40,000 cartons of cigarettes. This is 8 Million cigarettes in total. Illegal cigarettes can be defined as the production, export, import, and sales of tobacco goods that do not follow the law.
The big boss on the boat responsible for giving orders stated he was hired to move the product. The person has violated the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017) section 242, 246, 252, 58, and 210. Officials have seized the cigarettes worth 36 Million THB, the boats worth 2 Million THB, together worth over 38 Million THB. The seized cigarettes and boats will be used in the case. The Customs Department now have 595 cases relating to contraband cigarettes from October 2021 to April 2022. All the illegal cigarettes from all the cases are worth over 230 Million THB.
FB Caption: There were 11 workers on the boat and upon searching there were 8 Million cigarettes in total.
Source: Khaosod
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