A married couple have been arrested over the alleged theft of 396 million baht from a well-known fermented pork sausage company owned by the woman's aunt.
Teams from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) executed search warrants at seven premises about 6.30am on Wednesday - in Pathum Thani, Nakhon Nayok and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces.
They were looking to arrest suspects in the alleged embezzlement at Naem Don Muang Co, manufactuer of fermented pork sausage products.
The main target was a large two-storey house at Casa Ville housing estate in Rangsit-Khlong Song of Thanyaburi district in Pathum Thani.
The house belonged to Thachathorn Nuayen, 41, and his wife Naphasorn Nuayen, 39, the prime suspects in the case.
Mr Thachathorn was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court for colluding in laundering money. Ms Naphasorn was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the same court for theft, illegally using other people’s electronic cards, laundering money and colluding in laundering money.
There was no-one home when police arrived. They later learned the couple had left the house earlier on Wednesday morning to make merit on the birthday of Ms Naphasorn’s mother at a temple in Suphan Buri’s U Thong district.
They were arrested in the temple car park. (continues below)
Police gather in front of the wanted couple's house in Pathum Thani province on Wednesday morning. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)
Naem Don Muang Co filed a complaint with CSD sub-division 2 last year, asking they investigate suspected irregularities at the firm. Investigators concluded that Ms Naphasorn, the owner's niece, had embezzled money from the company.
She had her aunt's trust and handled the company's finances and accounts.
It is alleged Ms Naphasorn siphoned money from the firm’s bank accounts to her private accounts and also embezzled money intended for its business partners.
Investigators allege she stole money from the firm on about 1,000 occasions between 2013 and 2023. The total amount involved was 396.22 million baht. She had laundered the money by buying land, houses, luxury cars and other valuables. Some were held in her husband’s name, according to police.
Authorities impounded assets including houses, title deeds and cars for close examination of the sources of the funding. The couple were held in police custody for legal action.