Surat Thani police are deploying analytical software to track nominee firms on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, with 30 cases and 61 suspects targeted for drug trafficking and money laundering.
The law enforcement authorities in Surat Thani are accelerating their investigations into nominee companies established on the popular islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. A dedicated team is now handling 30 cases involving 61 suspects, targeted for drug trafficking and money laundering.
Pol Col Sombat Chamsaeng, deputy commander of the Surat Thani provincial police in charge of security and narcotics, is overseeing this operation. The courts have already issued four judgments concerning restaurants, car rental agencies and visa services, for a total estimated damage of 10 million baht (~ €260k).
Two cases are still awaiting judicial verdicts, ten are finalised for submission to prosecutors, and fourteen are under ongoing investigations. Among these, one complex case could amount to up to one billion baht in damages (~ €26M).
At the heart of this pursuit is the Systematic Police Network Investigator (Next-Gen Edition), or SPNI-X, a tool developed by the provincial anti-narcotics and money laundering unit. This programme cross-references telephone, banking and documentary data to map networks and establish precise timelines.
Pol Col Sombat highlights the system’s effectiveness in a major drug case: 340,000 methamphetamine pills and 950 grams of crystal methamphetamine seized. The authorities obtained 53 arrest warrants, arresting 15 suspects linked to drug trafficking networks and 46 for money laundering.
The seized assets include approximately 100 million baht across 60 bank accounts, as well as 18 land parcels. The entire investigation was wrapped up in just one month thanks to the AI.