Pork importer sues government for 4.7m baht over smuggling probe
A pork importer is suing the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) for 4.73 million baht in damages it says was caused by the DLD’s ongoing investigation of pork smuggling.
The DLD is working with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) on criminal and civil cases surrounding 41 shipping containers of smuggled pork impounded at Laem Chabang Port.
Boriboon Laorpaksin, director of Sikhantin Trading and Smile Top K Enterprise – the two companies being probed by the DSI – on Wednesday filed a case against the DLD at the Central Administration Court.
The two companies have been charged with violating customs and animal epidemic laws. Boriboon denied the charges while being questioned by the DSI earlier this month.
Boriboon’s lawsuit claims the DLD’s seizure of 41 containers of frozen pork worth 248 million baht was unlawful as his companies had complied with customs regulations.
It demands compensation of 4,739,880.20 baht, plus interest of 3% per year.
The lawsuit also calls on the court to revoke the DLD’s order banning the two companies from importing animals or meat into the country while the pork-smuggling investigation is ongoing.
DSI officials say smugglers have shipped in 2,385 containers of illegal pork worth about 3 billion baht since 2020. The racket has been blamed for suppressing the local pork industry and prices while raising the risk of disease.
