Thai Customs: E-cigarette smuggling surges, nearly 1 million e-cigarettes seized in 9 months

Thai Customs: E-cigarette smuggling surges, nearly 1 million e-cigarettes seized in 9 months

Thai customs seized nearly 1 million e-cigarettes in 9 months, with a total value of about 82.7 million baht (2.28 million U.S. dollars). As more and more Thais, especially young people, turn to e-cigarettes, customs have stepped up border inspections and patrols to combat the smuggling of e-cigarettes and other illegal items.

According to Daily News on July 16, Thai customs seized 1 million e-cigarettes in 9 months.

Panthong Loikunnan, spokesman for the Thai Customs Department, revealed that between October 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, the General Department of Customs seized a total of 3,611 cases of illegal import and export of goods, with a total value of 1.282 billion baht (35.38 million U.S. dollars). Among them, important items include e-cigarettes, e-cigarette equipment, e-cigarette liquids, Arabic hookahs, and e-hookahs, with a total of 280 cases seized, with a total of 957,033 pieces and a value of 82.7 million baht (2.28 million U.S. dollars). In addition, 1,496 cases of cigarettes were seized, with a quantity of 22.8 million sticks and a value of 135 million baht (3.73 million U.S. dollars).

"Interestingly, the department seized nearly 1 million e-cigarettes this year, as more and more Thais have recently started to smoke e-cigarettes instead of regular cigarettes. Young people, in particular, are increasingly turning to e-cigarettes, and although e-cigarettes are illegal products, they are still smuggled in in large quantities."

"The General Department of Customs has responded to the policy by further strengthening the work of customs checkpoints across the country, and has stepped up patrols and the establishment of checkpoints and interception points, especially at borders, natural passages and various border crossings, including major and minor routes, to prevent and stop illegal activities, especially drug smuggling, the transportation of illegal items and various illegal goods, such as drugs, e-cigarettes and their equipment equipment, marijuana cigarettes, non-compliant products (TISI), goods that infringe intellectual property rights, agricultural products (including rubber and pork and their edible parts), and fuel. In addition, it also cooperates with relevant departments to share intelligence information and crack down on the import and export of illegal items in accordance with the Prime Minister's policy. "

Pantong said that in the 2024 fiscal year, the total revenue of the General Department of Customs of Thailand was 469.662 billion baht (13 billion US dollars), of which customs revenue was 88.432 billion baht (2.4 billion US dollars), exceeding the expected revenue by 2.802 billion baht (77.33 million US dollars), an increase of 3.3%. In addition, the revenue collected on behalf of other departments was 381.231 billion baht (10.5 billion US dollars), of which 293.928 billion baht (8.1 billion US dollars) was collected on behalf of the Tax Bureau, 49.676 billion baht (1.4 billion US dollars) was collected on behalf of the Excise Tax Bureau, and 37.626 billion baht (1 billion US dollars) was collected on behalf of the Ministry of Interior.

The General Department of Customs said it will continue to take measures to improve the efficiency of tax collection and management and plug tax loopholes.