More assets of alleged drug kingpin under scrutiny of narcotics control board
The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) plans to confiscate more assets of a drug-dealing network operated by alleged kingpin Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant.
Chaiyanat is a Chinese businessman who was granted Thai citizenship after marrying a senior police officer and is believed to be behind a Chinese triad dealing in drugs and other criminal activities.
After he surrendered on November 23, police raided many sites in Bangkok and other provinces believed to be the bases of Chaiyanat’s alleged network.
ONCB secretary-general Wichai Chaimongkhon said on Thursday that the office had confiscated assets worth 1.2 billion baht from the network so far, thanks to clues provided by the Justice Ministry and former massage parlour tycoon and politician Chuwit Kamolvisit.
He said the ONCB recently found that the network owned more assets worth in excess of 2 billion baht, including real estate in Bangkok and its vicinity.
“The ONCB will investigate such assets while allowing asset owners to clarify the issue," he said.
He said clues from Chuvit helped facilitate officials' operation, adding that the ONCB will investigate one of the network's venues soon.
Chuvit had earlier released a new video clip on his Facebook page, showing network members giving first aid to a Chinese man who suffered from drug overdose at Bangkok's Jinling nightclub.
He said the video clip was taken from a CCTV camera inside the nightclub, adding that the Chinese man was taken out of the room after he recovered.
He plans to address a press conference on Thursday to introduce the main witness who had seen cash transfers of 20 million to 30 million baht per transaction from China to Thailand.
Chuwit also said the witnesses preferred to meet him, as they did not trust the police.
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