Thai military forces apprehended a Thai national for allegedly smuggling 3 tonnes of clams from Myanmar into Thailand via the Kra Buri River, causing significant tax losses for the country. The arrest occurred during a border patrol operation in Ranong province.
Colonel Apichai Rueangrit, commanding officer of Task Force Infantry Regiment 25, confirmed receiving intelligence from the 2521st Infantry Company, in collaboration with the Special Task Force Infantry Regiment 25 and Pak Chan Police Station. The team was patrolling the border area of Kra Buri district in Ranong province to curb illegal activities within their jurisdiction.
Intelligence suggested regular illegal smuggling activities at a natural pier in Moo 5, Pak Chan subdistrict, Kra Buri district, Ranong province. A plan was set to intercept the smugglers, and just after midnight, officers observed a suspicious long-tail boat laden with white sacks crossing from Myanmar.
Once the boat docked at the pier, a single-cab pickup truck arrived, and over 10 people began transferring the sacks into the vehicle.
As officers approached to inspect the scene, the suspected people fled, escaping on the boat back to Myanmar. However, police managed to arrest one suspect, identified as 37 year old Suwit (surname withheld), a resident of Pak Chan subdistrict, Kra Buri district, Ranong province.
Suwit was identified as the driver of a grey Ford single-cab pickup truck registered in Phatthalung province. Upon inspection, the vehicle was found to contain 28 sacks of illegally imported marine clams, weighing approximately 3,080 kilogrammes, which had been smuggled without paying taxes.
The suspect and evidence were subsequently taken into custody and documented before being handed over to Pak Chan Police Station for legal proceedings, reported KhaoSod.
In similar news, the Department of Fisheries, working in coordination with multiple agencies, successfully thwarted an illegal attempt to import white sea bass at the Padang Yo checkpoint in Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok district. Police seized 157 foam boxes containing 7,536 kilogrammes of fish, estimated to be worth around 600,000 baht.
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