BANGKOK, July 6 (TNA) — Director General of Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Wednesday inspected the illegal smuggling pork seized at 161 containers at the customs checkpoint of Laem Chabang Port.
He believed the department could track down the culprits and crackdown on illicit pork syndicate.
DSI Director General Police Major Suriya Singhakamol led the team of investigators to inspect the illegally imported pork in 161 unclaimed cargo containers at Laem Chabang Port Customs Office in Chon Buri.
He inspects the seized frozen pork at every container.
The inspection was observed by Bunyakrit Pinprasong, Deputy Director General of the Department of Livestock Development, the representatives from the Customs Department, Internal Trade Department, Swine Raisers Association of Thailand, National Farmers Council and Atchariya Ruengratanapong, head of the Help Crime Victims Club.
DSI accepted the case of the illegal smuggling pork as its special case in order to expand the investigation to crack down on the syndicate and DSI director general was confident that all members of the syndicate would be prosecuted.
The complaint related to the case was also lodged to the Central Bureau of Investigation on May 12 while the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand also lodged complaint at Laem Chabang police station.
According to the association, the smuggling operation of illicit pork has caused extensive damage to the economy and the government officials were bribed to enable the syndicate the commit the crime.
The seized of the illicit frozen pork in 161 containers is considered violating the law that ban importing animals or the body of dead animals without permission under the Animal Epidemics Act, B.E. 2558 (2015).
The pork carcasses were imported without the permission from the Department of Livestock Development. It is estimated that the seized frozen pork worth 460 million baht.
Patchara Anuntasilpa, Director-General of the Customs Department said that the department seized 161 containers of frozen pork, imported from abroad but without information on its certain origin and certification to ensure hygienic slaughtering processes issued by veterinarian.
The smuggled pork posed risks of spreading diseases, outbreak carrier and dangers to consumers. The department informed the Central Bureau of Investigation to take a legal action against the culprits and DSI accepted the case as its special case.
After this, the Customs Department would hand over the seized pork carcasses to the Chon Buri Animal Quarantine Station of the Department of Livestock Development to destroy under the Animal Epidemic Act. (TNA)
