Krabi:Thai police have conducted a raid on a kosher restaurant and synagogue in the Ao Nang area of Krabi, scrutinizing potential nominee business structures and investigating tax evasion and smuggling activities linked to a deported Israeli national.

According to Thai News Agency, the raid revealed a 601,000-baht money transfer receipt dated August 2, made by the wife of a former Israeli owner who had previously been arrested and deported by court order. Although the restaurant is now registered under a Thai owner's name, it is alleged that funds are still being funneled to Israeli individuals associated with the past management.

Employees informed police that the former Israeli owner continues to manage the restaurant and handle payroll, despite its re-opening under a new name with seven regular staff members. Investigators observed that the restaurant has ceased accepting QR code payments, opting solely for cash transactions, while another Israeli man is said to collect payments and conduct religious services in a concealed synagogue within the establishment on Fridays and Saturdays.

During an exhaustive search of the three-story building, the Krabi Customs Office Director confirmed the presence of untaxed and uncertified goods. These included nearly 100 bags of frozen chicken weighing over half a ton, snacks, and Hebrew-labeled alcoholic beverages that lacked Thai regulatory labels.

Authorities found parcels indicating shipments from "The Kosher Place Thailand Co., Ltd." based in Bangkok's Sukhumvit area. These parcels suggested distribution points in Krabi and Surat Thani, prompting investigators to probe whether the Bangkok firm serves as a smuggling warehouse for a network of about nine Chabad and kosher businesses throughout Thailand.

The Thai businessman listed as the registered owner declined an on-camera interview but claimed via phone that the company was legally established, highlighting Krabi's commercial potential while denying any connections to previous Israeli investors. The building's landlord, a former local sub-district head, confirmed renting the property for 1,100,000 baht annually and expressed confidence in the tenant's legal operations.

Authorities have emphasized the need for further investigation to ascertain if the restaurant is operating as an illegal nominee front. The case underscores regulatory gaps in online corporate registration, noting that the company was registered from Chiang Mai just 20 days after the original Israeli-owned venue was shut down.