On March 1, 2023, at 1.30 p.m. Thai officials held a news conference to announce the capture of 26,000 kilos of banned drugs category 5 white poppy seed with an estimated worth of 30 million Thai Baht. This apprehended case is the largest in the last four years.
The import declaration indicated “white sesame” with a weight of 26,000 kilos and “Turkiye” as the location of origin, according to the examination of the imported container. The police investigated associated documents and determined that information on the type of good is inconsistent; thus, they collected samples of the items to submit to academic institutions and drug verification authorities. The product was determined to be “Poppy seed” containing Morphine and Codeine chemicals, which were designated as controlled narcotics category 5 under Announcement of the Ministry of Public Health RE: specifying the names of controlled narcotics category 5 B.E. 2565 and the Narcotics Code B.E. 2564.
As a result, the officers seized the exhibit for further investigation and filed an accusation that such conduct constitutes an offense for attempting to import controlled narcotics category 5 in violation of Section 148 of the Narcotics Code B.E. 2564 and the Ministry of Public Health Notification Re: specifying the names of controlled narcotics category 5 B.E. 2565. Sections 202 and 244 of the Customs Act B.E. 2560, in conjunction with Sections 252, prohibit the imposition of limitations or prohibitions on these items, including the instance of false declaration on the type of goods in Por.Kor.5 Form, which is a violation of the Plant quarantine act B.E. 2507 and revision, as well as Sections 252 prohibit the imposition of limitations or prohibitions on these items.
According to Mr. Pachara Anantasin, Director General of the Customs Department, the Laem Chabang Port Customs Office and Enforcement Division were established with the goal of preventing and enforcing narcotics smuggling through importation, exportation, and transit shipping via Laem Chabang Port. The PCU Project’s Anti-Narcotics War EP.2: “Poppy Seeds” operation was carried out. This confiscation case was detained and investigated by the Customs Office of Laem Chabang Port Customs officer and the Enforcement Division, who were jointly investigating questionable imports. As a consequence, Customs officials confiscated the commodities and alerted the appropriate authorities to conduct a joint inspection at the Customs Control Department of the Laem Chabang Port Customs Office.
Thai official names and divisions participating in this operation: Mr. Patchara Anuntasilpa, Director General of Thai Customs Department, Mr. Pongthep Buasap, acting as Principal Advisor on Customs Control Development, Mrs. Nantita Sirikup, Deputy Director General of Thai Customs Department, Mr. Tawal Rodjit, Director of Enforcement Division, Mr. Suradej Trongsirivibool, Director of Laem Chabang Port Customs Office, Mr. Prasit Deejongcharoen, Director of Customs Control Section, and Mr. Setthawut Chantrawattana, Director of X-Ray and Technology Center, together with officers of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) from Ministry of Justice, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau from the Royal Thai Police, Armed forced security center, Laem Chabang Police Station, Laem Chabang Food and Drug Administration, and Laem Chabang Plant Quarantine Station
