Fake luxury items, seized in connection with the charity donation fraud case involving celebrity Panadda Wongphudee, will be destroyed in the same manner as counterfeit property confiscated in intellectual property infringement cases, according to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO).
Speaking yesterday, AMLO spokesman and Deputy Secretary-General Wittaya Nititham detailed the legal procedures governing assets seized from Panadda and her co-suspect, Atip Anantawan, in connection with alleged irregularities surrounding donations to the ‘Do Good Foundation’.
Wittaya explained that, following police seizures of ostensibly high-value items, including designer handbags, jewelry, luxury watches, land and vehicles, investigators compile an asset inventory for submission to AMLO. At the time of seizure, law enforcement officers cannot immediately verify the authenticity of designer items.
Before AMLO puts confiscated goods up for public auction, to raise funds to compensate victims, the agency has industry experts inspect each item.
"If the experts determine that an item is counterfeit, AMLO will consult with police investigators on whether to incinerate it or return it to its owner," Wittaya said, adding “Standard practice for evidence seized in intellectual property cases, however, requires its destruction by relevant authorities.”
Addressing public speculation that Panadda may have originally owned authentic luxury goods and sold them prior to the seizure, replacing them with counterfeits, Wittaya said that investigators would be able to trace past financial transactions.
High-value asset purchases are a common method used in money laundering to disguise illicit proceeds as legitimate assets, he added, noting that financial trails leave clear evidentiary records for authorities to follow.
