Amlo returns Bt300m in seized assets.

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Amlo returns Bt300m in seized assets

Office unable to keep hold of criminal gains
Published: 13/07/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News
 
The Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) has had to return more than 300 million baht worth of assets seized from drug suspects because it lacked a financial transactions committee to prove the wealth had been acquired by illegal means.

Amlo deputy secretary-general Annop Likhitjittha said his office had not had a financial transactions committee for two years and could not check the sources of doubtful assets seized from suspects, most of whom were thought to be involved in drug offences.

Investigations into the sources of doubtful assets are the responsibility of the financial transactions committee, and Amlo has only just managed to establish one.

Without in-depth examination of seized assets, lawsuits filed by Amlo with the Civil Court to seek court orders to legally confiscate the assets connected with crimes are weakened.

If defendants insist their seized assets had nothing to do with their cases, and evidence to the contrary could not be produced, the assets must be returned even in the case of a conviction.

As a result, assets worth more than 300 million baht have had to be returned to suspected drug traffickers over the past two years.

An Amlo source said there many reasons for the delay in forming the committee.

Candidates from many professions were nominated as members and underwent lengthy profile examinations by the National Human Rights Commission and other authorities.

With the financial transactions committee now formed, about 100 cases involving seized assets are awaiting investigation. The panel, is scheduled to hold its first meeting next month.

Yesterday, Amlo put 22 confiscated assets worth over 1.3 million baht up for auction.

They included automobiles, motorcycles, ornamental gold, precious stones and talismans.

The Civil Court had earlier ordered their confiscation.

According to Mr Annop, Amlo has organised 101 rounds of auctions to sell off more than 2,000 confiscated items, raising a combined 300 million baht, which the office has handed to the Finance Ministry.

Most of the auctioned assets had been confiscated from illicit drug cases. Other cases included corruption, electoral fraud, gambling and illegal exploitation of natural resources.

Amlo has another committee to organise auctions, consisting of government officials and outsiders.

Mr Annop said Amlo cooperated with the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the Royal Thai Police Office and other relevant law enforcement agencies to prosecute criminals.