DSI, Navy team swoops down on ship with cargo of smuggled cigarettes in Trang
A team comprising Department of Special Investigation (DSI) officials and Navy officers raided a cargo ship off the coast of Trang on Tuesday and seized a haul of smuggled cigarettes.
Officials had received a tip-off that a smuggling ring was bringing in a large quantity of “John Black” cigarettes on board a cargo ship named Decho Cargo 89.
The ship was using counterfeit documents declaring the shipment was heading to Indonesia.
The ship reportedly departed from Krabi and arrived at Koh Waen in Trang’s Kantang district at midnight on Monday, and two speedboats were spotted unloading goods from the ship. Officials intercepted the operation a few hours later and found 1,900 crates of the smuggled cigarettes on board.
The Customs Department said the haul of smuggled cigarettes cost the government over 34 million baht in lost tax revenue and that the smugglers will face a fine of 686 million baht as a penalty.
DSI will question the crew and ship owner to track down those behind the operation.