Thai customs authorities intercepted more than 700 tonnes of hazardous waste from Morocco on Tuesday in Bangkok, in what officials described as a major crackdown on toxic imports. Labelled as «zinc concentrate», the shipment was found to contain dangerous levels of heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, and antimony. The seizure took place at Bangkok Port following a joint investigation by Thai Customs, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), and the Department of Industrial Works (DIW), according to local media reports. Tests using X-ray fluorescence equipment revealed that the brown powder contained zinc (32.2%) and iron (13.5%), but also hazardous levels of lead (1.24%), cadmium (890 ppm), and antimony (540 ppm), thresholds that classify the substance as hazardous waste under the Basel Convention. Thai authorities said the waste will be repatriated to Morocco and pledged to tighten controls to prevent similar illegal shipments in the future.
