A total of 510.72 tonnes of aniline, a chemical used in the manufacture of fentanyl, which is currently classed as a Type 2 narcotic drug in Thailand, has been intercepted at Laem Chabang Port and seized for inspection.
The inspection of these cargo containers was jointly conducted by a number of Thai agencies and some representatives from the Lao embassy in Thailand on Wednesday, Wichai Chaimongkol, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), revealed on Friday.
The agencies were represented by officials from the ONCB, Narcotics Suppression Bureau, Armed Forces Security Centre, Department of Industrial Works and Food and Drug Administration, he said.
Five of the tanks of aniline seized were being imported by a transport company referred to only as S while 17 more tanks of the substance were brought into the country by another transport company identified only as P, he said.
The goods were destined for Laos, where a transport company identified only as L would have collected and transported them onwards had the container not been confiscated on Wednesday, he said.
Thai customs had earlier discovered that no documents were submitted to prove that the import of the illegal substance had been permitted, said Mr Wichai.
The ONCB’s narcotics suppression office had then liaised with its Lao counterpart and found out that the confiscated aniline was imported for a company whose mother company is in China for producing cosmetics which will be exported back to China, he said.