8 accused firms sold nearly THB1 bn worth of smuggled frozen pork: DSI

But most of the revenue was generated by Rainbow Group Co Ltd while the other suspected firms appeared to have poor business performance, according to findings by Thansetthakij.

Thansetthakij investigation with the Department of Business Development revealed the following financial performances:

- Rainbow Group Co Ltd: Revenue of 938.74 billion baht; expense 937.48 billion baht and a profit of 1 million baht. It is registered as a livestock and livestock research firm.

- RTN Overseas Co Ltd: Revenue of 4.7 million baht; expenditure of 3.54 million baht and a profit of 1 million baht. It is registered as a logistics and storage services company.

- The Cube Logistics Co Ltd: The company did not submit its financial report to the department. It is registered as a firm carrying out logistics and storage services.

- Good Water Equipment Co Ltd: No revenue and 10,700 baht expenses with a loss of 10,700 baht. It is registered as a wholesales firm.

- Kanta Thai Frozen Fish Ltd Part: Revenue of 15.31 million baht; expenditure of 14.562 million baht with 684,913 baht profit. It is registered as a frozen meat trading firm.

- My House Trading Co Ltd: Revenue of 9,500 baht, expenditure of 10,000 baht and a loss of 500 baht. It is registered as a customs clearance services firm.

- Sahatsawat Foods Ltd Part: The company did not file a financial report last year. It is registered as a seafoods trading firm.

- Sea World Frozen Food Co Ltd: It is an export and import firm registered in July last year with no financial report yet.

The names of the firms were released to the media after Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin repeatedly instructed police and other government agencies to step up their crackdown on major frozen-pork smugglers. Srettha was angry that the smuggled pork had caused the price of pork to tumble, inflicting losses on Thai pig farmers.

During the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Srettha told the Justice Ministry and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to find the big fish in the pork smuggling network.

On November 18, a DSI officer told reporters that six suspects related to the pork smuggling had been arrested and they were released temporarily.

The suspects include:

- Maneewan Jiraworawong, 38, director and authorised signatory of RTN Overseas

- Dome Wajankupti, 45, director and authorised signatory of The Cube Logistics

- Natthamon Somboon, 42, director and authorised signatory of Good Water Equipment

- Jenjira Pornrattanakul, 40, director and authorised signatory of Kanta Thai Frozen Fish

- Sakda Thongthanom, 51, director and authorised signatory of My House Trading

Later police arrested Weerasak Kijnatthee, 59, director of Sahatsawat Foods on November 15, and Konchanat Sornmayura, an executive of Rainbow Group, on November 16.

Police said Somnuek Kayawatanakit, director and authorised signatory of Rainbow Group, told the DSI he would surrender on November 24.

DSI officials are also trying to arrest Pichet Saesee, an executive of Sea World Frozen Food.