Fake tax invoice gang rounded up
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AUTHORITIES HAVE cracked down on two gangs selling fake tax invoices to firms keen to avoid paying tax.
The gangs reportedly caused more than Bt300 million in losses to the country.
The Revenue Department and the National Police Office announced the arrests of three suspects yesterday.
“We have started tracking them down after receiving a tip-off that they have sold fake tax invoices to interested customers across the country,” Assistant National Police Commissioner Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri said.
The gangs charge customers a fee equivalent to 3-4 per cent of the total value of the products and services stated in fake tax invoices.
Chana Tangsiwilaiporn, 47, Priyakorn or Piyaporn Vejpanich, 42, and Phubet or Pom Klajing, 43, were arrested after they supplied fake documents to undercover officials.
According to police, the gangs set up paper companies for the sole purpose of selling the fake tax invoices. They have not offered any real services or products.
“Their operations have affected the country’s value-added tax system and economy,” Prawut said.
He said an investigation was ongoing in an attempt to round up all the gangs’ members and accomplices.
Revenue Department director-general Prasong Poontaneat said his department had filed lawsuits against about 1,000 companies over the past decade for using fake tax invoices.
“Of these companies, more than 100 operated in the real estate sector,” he said.
Prasong said if such gangs were allowed to stay active, damage to the country could be as high as Bt10 billion.
The issuance of fake tax invoices is punishable by a jail term of between three months and seven years, and a fine of between Bt2,000 and Bt200,000.
Offenders are also required to pay two times the amount of tax losses they caused.
