Thai customs authorities seize cars stolen from Malaysia

BANGKOK, June 9 (TNA) - Thai customs authorities have seized 30 Honda and Toyota cars stolen from Malaysia for their smuggling to third countries. Rakop Srisupaat, Director-General of the Thai Ministry of Finance's Customs Department, told a joint press conference with Malaysian Ambassador to Thailand Dato Nazirah binti Hussain in Bangkok on Monday that the cars, worth about 21.6 million baht, had been stolen in Malaysia and smuggled into Thailand pending delivery to third countries. Rakop said that the operation followed Malaysian customs authorities' request that their Thai counterparts help suppress a gang of car thieves, including Thai, Malaysian, Singaporean and Chinese culprits, who stole cars in Malaysia and smuggled them into Thailand through many channels. The Thai customs authorities later found the stolen cars at the Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri Province in the Thai East. The Thai Customs Department chief acknowledged that the latest roundup was a relatively big lot and Thai people involving in the crime have tarnished the national image, vowing if customs officials were found conspiring with the illicit business, they would be taken legal action. According to the senior Thai official, 15 cars stolen from Malaysia were also seized by Thai customs authorities earlier.(TNA)