Traffickers’ nominees in crosshairs
Authorities aim to track money trails
Authorities are closely monitoring more than 20 major groups described as “nominees” of drug gangs and tracking their financial transactions in a bid to establish their links with traffickers.
Once the connection between these so-called nominees and drug gangs is found, more of the “sin money” from the traffickers can then be traced and seized, Justice Minister
Somsak Thepsutin told the press yesterday.
It is believed the sin money is laundered by the nominees’ purchase of properties.
Pol Maj Gen Preecha Charoensahayanon, deputy secretary-general of the Anti-Money Laundering Office, said since 2017, assets worth more than 200 million baht had been seized in connection with a number of drug cases.
The Anti-Money Laundering Office is working on boosting its efficiency by integrating with other concerned agencies and adopting new technology to trace the money trail of drug gangs, he said.
Meanwhile, Pol Maj Gen Phonchai Charoenwong, deputy chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, said even though a large number of drug traffickers or dealers have been arrested, the amount of assets seized in connection with these cases was considered quite low.
Separately, the broken remains of six packages believed to have contained crystal methamphetamine or ice were found washed up on Rawa beach of Muang district in Trat, district chief Wira Roekwanitchakun said yesterday.
He believed that the drugs could have been stolen by some villagers in the area.
Two days ago, similar packages containing more than 112kg of crystal methamphetamine were found in both Koh Kut and Muang districts.
So far almost 450kg of the drug has been found on the shores of the eastern province since last Tuesday.
Pornthip Jampong, the director of the Narcotics Control Office Region 2, said that the drugs probably came from Shan state in Myanmar as they bear the “888” hallmark used by Shan manufacturers.
“We can only assume the drugs came from a shipwreck, and expect to see more bags wash ashore this week,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr Wira said, two people had returned some packages of crystal methamphetamine they had found after local authorities appealed for anyone who had found suspect packages to come forward.
A source in the drug search team said it suspects there are a lot more packages that may have been hidden by villagers.
Police have yet to apprehend any of the smugglers while the navy has detected no shipwrecks in the past week.