Gen Surachet confirmed that officials were following the Tranlee Travel Co money trail at a meeting at Phuket Tourist Police headquarters in Phuket Town.
“All evidence and documents carefully collected in the investigation have been sent to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) in Bangkok,” he said.
More than 100 officers including police, military and anti-money-laundering officials seized 29 boats and 53 buses belonging to companies operating under the Tranlee Travel Co Ltd network of businesses in raids at Rassada and Koh Siray on July 6. (See story here.)
Today, Provincial Police Chief Col Teerapol Thipjaroen, who is heading the investigation, brought those numbers to 117 tour buses and 33 boats seized.
The raids on July 6 followed police shutting down Tranlee’s base of operations in Rassada, east of Phuket Town, on June 16. (See story here.)
Today, Gen Surachet noted that inbound tourists who had booked tours with Tranlee were still arriving, although Tranlee’s business license had been revoked.
“So we are looking for other tour companies to take care of these tourists, but the companies that do so must be legally registered businesses,” he said.
“Also, officials will keep the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok accurately updated with these developments in Phuket,” he added.
Gen Surachet urged all persons to report concerns or complaints about tour companies by calling the Tourist Police hotline 1155.