On Thursday Evening we joined Police Lieutenant Colonel Sutat, the Chief of Special Investigations for Region 2 Police as he conducted a raid on a Furniture Shop on the strength of a search warrant issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court. The team of officers conducted a search of the Ma Furniture Shop in Soi Nong Get Noi 4 in Nong Pla Lai Sub-District in Banglamung.

They were looking for tobacco which was thought to have been hidden in furniture which was due to be sent to the Laem Chabang Port for export. The search of the furniture led to the discovery of over 3 Million Baht’s worth of Golden Virginia Tobacco which is thought to have originated from Europe. It is thought the tobacco had been brought into Thailand illegally and it was then set to be distributed around Asia.

Two English Nationals had been arrested at the start of the investigation, known only as Jimmy and Christopher who were thought to have planned the illegal shipment which was due to be sent to the Port on Saturday. We understand that the owner of the Furniture Shop, Khun Ma and a worker, Khun Ongart, are in Custody and the investigation is ongoing with the assistance of the Thai Customs Authority who believes this shipment is part of a larger tobacco trafficking operation.