Bangkok: The Narcotics Suppression Bureau commander has affirmed that the recent arrest of a People's Party parliamentary candidate, Mr. Boonrit, along with his accomplices, was not politically motivated.
According to Thai News Agency, this arrest is part of a broader investigation into a money laundering ring connected to drug trafficking. Financial investigations uncovered links to 50 dummy accounts, with monthly transactions amounting to billions of baht. The arrests, which involved simultaneous searches at 22 locations in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Lopburi, and Trang, led to the seizure of assets valued at over 200 million baht.
The Narcotics Suppression Police successfully apprehended Mr. Boonrit, also known as Bank, from the People's Party in Constituency 33, alongside four other suspects, out of seven wanted individuals. This operation is an extension of an investigation into seven drug trafficking cases, which revealed financial ties to four different companies. These companies had seven directors who rotated roles, and suspicious bank transactions were flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), leading to the issuance of arrest warrants on charges of money laundering.
During questioning, Mr. Boonrit confessed to being registered as a director of a company purportedly involved in logistics and oil trading. However, he failed to clarify the origin of the substantial income, which exceeded billions of baht monthly. The network, including Mr. Boonrit, Mr. Maitri, Ms. Supaporn and her spouse, and Ms. Sukrudee, registered four companies between 2024 and 2025, boasting a turnover of over 20 billion baht. Despite these figures, no actual business operations or verifiable income were found. Additionally, links were established between Mr. Maitri and drug trafficking networks in neighboring countries, which allegedly involved smuggling drugs into Thailand for further distribution to Taiwan.
Regarding the arrest warrants for People's Party's parliamentary candidates, the bureau insists that the police acted based on evidence and not as a form of political persecution. The warrants were issued prior to the registration deadline, with the candidate status of Mr. Boonrit only becoming known post-arrest. The investigation further disclosed financial trails leading to 50 "middleman" accounts, utilized for payments to the pilot gang and overseas transfers. Additional questioning is underway to expand the investigation, especially concerning accusations from some suspects of paying the parliamentary candidates monthly salaries.
In the course of this operation, assets including eight houses, 14 condominiums, multiple cars, and luxury items were confiscated. Additionally, 50 bank accounts were frozen, with the total value of seized assets reaching approximately 200 million baht.