Prosecutors postpone decision on arms seizure case

BANGKOK, Jan 29 (TNA) – Thai prosecutors postponed their decision on a case involving the seizure of arms from an aircraft which made an emergency landing in Bangkok last month to February 11, saying they have many documents to examine.

Criminal Litigation Office chief Kayasit Pissawanprakan said that the Attorney General has deferred a decision on whether to indict five foreigners charged with illegal arms possession after their plane was impounded at Don Mueang airport in early December.

He said the large number of documents need more time to consider thoroughly and the case attracts the public attention and will have a wide impact.

Asked about a rumour that the Attorney General will drop the charge, he said it did not cause any pressure to prosecutors as their work was based on evidence and facts.

The police impounded the Russian-built Georgian flag-registered Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft and discovered 35 tonnes of explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and components for surface-to-air missiles.

Members of the crew, one from Belarus and four from Kazakhstan, denied involvement in transporting the weapons, claiming that they were told by their employer their cargo was oil-drilling equipment.

Under Customs Law, a pilot and a ground control officer must know the cargo a plane is carrying and must inform customs officers.

However, that plane did not comply with the rule. If the pilot intended to not inform the Thai authorities regarding the nature of his cargo, he would be found guilty, Mr Kayasit said.

Initial reports said the plane was flown from the United Arab Emirates to Don Mueang airport in the Thai capital and landed without any cargo for a refuelling stop, then continued on to North Korean capital of Pyongyang.

It left for the North Korean capital and returned to Bangkok again for a scheduled refuelling before flying on to Sri Lanka.

The cache was transported in military trucks to a depot in Thailand's northern province of Nakhon Sawan. (TNA)