Customs officials at Laem Chabang port intercepted over 1.4 tons of cannabis valued at 25 million baht. The exporters attempted to disguise the cannabis as fitness equipment, claiming the shipment contained rubber mats and cloth gloves while concealing dry cannabis, including buds, in the container.
On September 25, at 3:00 PM, Director Direk Kocharak of Laem Chabang port customs revealed that the Customs Department had instructed officials to monitor illegal export attempts closely. They collaborated with international agencies, such as the Seaport Interdiction Task Force and the UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme.
After analyzing suspicious shipment documentation, customs officials seized two suspect shipments destined for the UK on September 11. During inspections, authorities discovered 153.30 kilograms of cannabis buds hidden in modified wooden boxes within a shipment labeled as rubber mats. A second inspection on September 16 revealed 1.3 tons of various cannabis products concealed in packages labeled as cloth gloves.
Director Direk confirmed that this case involved false declarations regarding the nature and weight of the goods to evade customs regulations. It constitutes violations under the Customs Act and the Thai Herbal Medicine Promotion Act, which lists cannabis as a controlled herb. Exporting cannabis to the UK, where it is classified as a Class B drug, is illegal, with severe penalties including imprisonment and fines. All seized cannabis is under custody for further legal action.
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This article was rewritten from a Thairath’s news article.
