NONTHABURI, Nov 29 – Police on Saturday seized about 400 lots of processed wood from a house owned by a relative of a suspect believed to be in the network of detained former Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) chief Pol Lt Gen Pongpat Chayaphan.
The seizure was made after police searched a house in Bang Yai district in Nonthaburi, suburban Bangkok, owned by relative of Chob Chinprapa, believed to have a close connection with Pol Lt Gen Pongpat, police said.
They said the seized processed wood was hidden inside two large cargo containers.
Sayan Chinprapa, a younger brother of Mr Chob, reportedly told police that his brother had brought the processed wood and kept there about four years ago.
Mr Sayan said he only knew that the seized wood belonged to Pol Lt Gen Pongpat and Mr Chob was asked to look after it.
Police initially impounded the seized wood while asking Mr Chob to produce documents on the wood within one week.
In case of failure to show the necessary documents, police said they will send them to the government Forest Industry Organisation.
Saturday’s incident came after police yesterday searched a furniture shop in suburban Bangkok owned by another suspect with a close connection with Gen.Pongpat and seized more than 2,800 wooden planks valued over seven million baht.
Police said they would ask Fine Arts Department officials Monday to help verify antique materials found inside the warehouse.
