More than 650 luxury cars are believed to have been imported unlawfully from Italy to be sold in Thailand, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) said, citing Italian authorities.
Pol Lt Col Korrawat Panprapakorn, deputy director-general of the DSI, said yesterday the vehicles in question consist of 16 Lamborghinis, 186 Maseratis, 390 Ferraris, and many other mixed brands, noting that Italian authorities shared the information with the DSI.
The DSI will contact the Customs Department to examine whether these cars were taxed in line with the laws, he said, adding the Italian authorities will gradually send more information about the cars to the DSI.
Referring to the case in which 42 luxury cars were allegedly stolen in Britain and shipped to Thailand, Pol Lt Col Korrawat said the DSI has found and seized at least 15 of them.
The DSI earlier asked the Customs Department to examine whether 259 imported luxury vehicles were properly levied. Pol Lt Col Korrawat said the customs authorities said that there is a shortfall of 4.3 billion baht in import duty in relation to the vehicles.
In the first lot of 32 investigated vehicles, there is a shortfall of 673 million baht in duty, he said. The DSI has summoned 16 people associated with three car import companies to acknowledge charges.
In the second lot of 91 vehicles, the duty shortfall stands at 1.16 billion baht. The DSI is in the process of summoning 16 people connected with two car import firms.
As for the 136 vehicles in the third lot, there is a tax shortfall of 2.47 billion baht. The DSI is investigating to see who is behind the offences.
Pol Lt Col Korrawat said perpetrators in the third group could be those involved in tax evasion for the first two lots. The offenders would face charges based what documents they have falsely declared, he noted.
Referring to the 160 luxury vehicles already sold to customers that have been confiscated, Pol Lt Col Korrawat said the DSI has asked the Customs Department to determine the shortfall of each car's import duty before the vehicles are released.
He said the DSI would pursue cases against the importers, but return the cars to the buyers.
