DSI Statement on the Progress of 1,020 Luxury Car Investigation

DSI Statement on the Progress of 1,020 Luxury Car Investigation

       Reference is made to the DSI investigation led by DSI Deputy Director-General Police Lieutenant Colonel Phayao Thongsen together with special case experts into 114 Special Cases, in which criminal organizations are involved in smuggling 1,020 tax-evading vehicles into Thailand, according to the information obtained from the UK through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) requests, and in which the tax re-evaluation by the Customs Department reveals false (lower) declaration of import values to evade applicable taxes, causing the loss of income worth approximately 3 billion baht.

       According to the latest update from DSI Deputy Director-General Police Lieutenant Colonel Phayao Thongsen, the past year saw a significant progress made – with 404 current owners inquired, 446 first-time registrants inquired, Bangkok automobile registrar inquired in relation to 1,020 vehicles, 21 provincial automobile registrars inquired in relation to 59 vehicles, Department of Land Transport officers inquired in relation to 1,020 vehicles, customs officers inquired in relation to the misevaluation 1,020 vehicles, 36 customs officers inquired in relation to the release of the vehicles, and a large number of documents relating to financial traces and transactions obtained. The DSI has informed 133 car importers involved in 79 cases of the charges, with the rest expected by February 2023. An arrest warrant is to be sought and published for those failing to present themselves to be informed of the charges, and the case files referred to public prosecutors. 

       As DSI Director-General Mr. Triyarith Temahivong was quoted as saying, Minister of Justice Mr. Somsak Thepsuthin has given a priority to these important cases and instructed DSI to accelerate its investigation, so that after successfully prosecuting car importers involved in the tax evasion, DSI will expand its investigation to take legal actions against principal offenders who are mostly import car dealers or businesses.