Laem chabang: DSI and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have taken decisive action against a sophisticated network involved in the illegal importation of electronic waste in Laem Chabang, resulting in the seizure of 714 suspicious shipping containers.
According to Thai News Agency, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) collaborated with various agencies, including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Customs Department, and the Pollution Control Department, to crack down on the smuggling of hazardous materials into the Kingdom.
The concerted effort also involved international partners such as the Ecological Alert and Recovery - Thailand (EARTH), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Basel Action Network (BAN). This operation scrutinized containers filled with electronic waste, municipal waste, and plastic scraps that originated from foreign countries. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr. Suchart Chomklin, played an active role in inspecting these containers to thwart this transnational smuggling operation.
Through intelligence gathered from EARTH, UNODC, and BAN, the DSI was alerted to the suspicious containers, which had been shipped from the United States. A thorough investigation, in collaboration with the Customs Department, led to the seizure of 714 containers from April 2025 to March 2026. The Laem Chabang Port Customs Office's monitoring data revealed that some containers contained illegally smuggled waste, violating several Thai laws, including the Hazardous Substances Act B.E. 2535 (1992) and the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017).
The DSI, as a key law enforcement body, is committed to investigating transnational smuggling of hazardous waste, uncovering false declarations, and expanding investigations domestically and internationally. The goal is to ensure the repatriation of hazardous waste to its origin countries, in compliance with the Basel Convention. By strictly prosecuting offenders, the DSI aims to safeguard the environment and public health, preventing Thailand from becoming a global dumping ground for hazardous waste and reinforcing law enforcement against environmental crime networks.