Belgian, Russian held at Phuket airport over alleged cannabis smuggling

10 Sept 20:55 Key points summarised by AI

A Belgian woman and a Russian man were separately arrested at Phuket International Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle large quantities of cannabis out of Thailand.
The Belgian suspect was caught with over 31kg of cannabis, valued at 5.38 million baht, destined for Paris, while the Russian suspect had over 17kg of cannabis and resin, valued at 9.5 million baht, hidden for a flight to Kazakhstan.
These arrests underscore a significant increase in cannabis trafficking from Thailand, with customs seizing over 37,000kg since October last year, much of it intended for the UK.
The UK's National Crime Agency reported a tenfold surge in cannabis seizures from Thailand at UK airports in 2024, leading the British government to provide Thailand with advanced detection equipment to combat international smuggling.

Nationwide crackdown launched on illegal nominee shareholders and land holdings

Today 15:20 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul initiated a nationwide crackdown on illegal Thai nominee shareholders in foreign-run businesses and land holdings to safeguard national interests.
The government will integrate efforts across all relevant agencies to target illicit foreign operations, forced sales of illegally acquired property, and high-risk land ownership schemes.
Key strategies include auditing suspect land and building holdings, establishing a long-term monitoring system, and cross-referencing data from various authorities to trace ultimate beneficial owners.
Prime Minister Anutin emphasized that no influential figures or corrupt officials are above the law, promising straightforward prosecution, asset seizures, and protection for enforcing officers.
Beyond land ownership, the integrated crackdown will also extend to tackle transnational crimes, including drug and human trafficking.