Officials seize 100 million baht in assets in Pattaya
A Dutch man and his Thai wife are facing drug and money laundering charges in two countries following a raid on their Pattaya-area home.
Officers from the Anti-Money Laundering Office, Department of Special Investigations, Office of the Attorney-General and Huay Yai police apprehended Johannes Petrus Maria van Laarhoven and his wife Mingkwan Kaen-in at their 2 rai property at the Phoenix Golf Course July 23.
Their arrests – requested by the Dutch government after a six-year manhunt – came during four simultaneous raids on buildings and houses belonging to the couple in Banglamung and Sattahip districts. More than 100 million baht in assets were seized, including buildings and condos in Samut Prakan, three cars worth about 30 million baht, gold ornaments, two Beretta pistols and 159 bullets. About 20 million baht in bank accounts connected to the couple and their children also was seized.
Johannes Petrus Maria van Laarhoven (left) and his wife Mingkwan Kaen-in (not shown) have been arrested on drug and money laundering charges.
Dutch authorities asked Thailand to arrest and extradite the couple for their involvement in the trafficking of marijuana from the kingdom and other Southeast Asian countries to coffee houses operated by a drug network in the Netherlands.
They are wanted on two counts of transnational drug trafficking and money-laundering. They also face criminal charges in Thailand for operating a transnational criminal scheme and will be prosecuted here before being shipped home to face charges.
The couple is accused of smuggling marijuana overseas, but also using Thailand as a haven for money laundering by buying property, gold and expensive cars. The drug network allegedly generated the equivalent of 600-800 million baht a year from the Thai drugs.
The asset seizures continued after the suspects’ arrest, with DSI officers the next day seizing a three-bedroom luxury yacht that once belonged to van Laarhoven before he sold it to a Chinese businessman. Officials are looking other assets in Thailand, including a Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.
They were taken the same day to the Criminal Court for their first 12-day detention for interrogation. The case is being handled by the Office of the Attorney-General, not DSI.
