BANGKOK — Police in Thailand say they have broken up a money-laundering ring that transferred a total of 10 billion baht ($323 million), much of it linked to drug trafficking.

A Chinese businessman arrested in Bangkok, Qaing Ma, is believed to be a key figure in the operation, police Maj. Gen. Veerachon Boontawee said Thursday.

The suspect was flown by police to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and was unavailable for comment.

Veerachon, head of the investigation division in the police region incorporating Chiang Mai, said Ma owns companies in Thailand that import Chinese agricultural tools and machines and send back Thai agricultural products such as frozen chicken. The businesses were used to carry out illegal money transfers, he said by telephone.

Ma "created a very complex network of money transfers to cover the origin of the money,” Veerachon said.

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https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/06/25/world/asia/ap-as-thailand-money-laundering.html