Importers of 1,020 luxury cars charged with 3-billion-baht tax dodge
The Department of Special Investigation on Thursday announced progress in its investigation of suspected massive tax evasion on over 1,000 luxury cars imported from the UK. The alleged tax dodging cost the government a whopping 3 billion baht in lost revenue, according to the DSI.
Its deputy director-general Phayao Thongsen said 133 private importers have been charged in 79 cases so far. He expects charges to be filed in the remaining 54 cases next month, warning that arrest warrants would be sought against suspects who failed to acknowledge the charges.
The 1,020 luxury cars were imported from the UK before being seized by the Customs Department last year on suspicion that importers had dodged tax payments.
The DSI contacted UK authorities and found that the prices declared by importers were much lower than the vehicles’ real prices, resulting in tax losses to the state totalling about 3 billion baht.
Phayao, who heads the case, gave the following rundown of the vast investigation on Thursday:
- Interrogation of 404 buyers of the luxury cars
- Interrogation of 466 people who filed registration applications for the cars
- Questioning of Bangkok registrars who approved license numbers for 960 luxury cars
- Questioning of provincial registrars who approved license numbers for 59 cars
- Questioning of Land Transport Department officials in charge of registration of all 1,020 luxury cars
- Questioning of customs officials who assessed import taxes on the 1,020 cars
- Questioning of customs officials who approved customs clearance for 36 cars
