About an hour later officers tried to pry open the gate, at which time the gate was unlocked. The other raids relate to drug trafficking and money laundering.At 7am, a team led by CIB deputy commissioner Maj-General Chawalit Sawaengpuet raided a two-storey house in Soi Nawamin 74 that belongs to Anothai Chatwarangkul, who was wanted for money laundering and is suspected of being part of a major drug trafficking gang.The occupants of the home initially refused to open the gate. Police were told the owner was not home and the only people there were a Thai maid and five migrant workers.The team raided another house in the same soi that had been modified into an office and goods storage facility that police believe is used for drug trafficking.Another team searched the house of Kanthana Siwathanadol, 26, in Nonthaburi and seized documents and her car and "impounded" the house.Another team searched the house of Uracha Wachirakulton, 26, in Bangkok's Rama 9-Srinakarin area, seizing documents and "impounding" the house.The two women were charged with fraud for their alleged roles in the transfer of Chuwong's shares.Meanwhile, Anti-Money Laundering Office chief Pol General Chaiya Siri-amphankul announced the progress of the agency's probe into former deputy commerce minister Banyin Tangpakorn and three women including Kanthana and Uracha, who are accused of forging documents so they could transfer Chuwong's shares into the women's bank accounts.He said all related transactions were linked to Banyin such as the purchase of Kanthana and Uracha's homes.He said the Amlo transaction committee resolved to seize the homes, valued at a combined Bt15 million, and a third property.Other items seized were a Bt6 million sports car and shares worth Bt10 million that the Amlo had previously confiscated.The total value of the impounded assets is Bt31 million.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 30, 2016 17:15 UTC