Thai Police Conducted A Surprise Search Of Electronic Cigarettes And Arrested 7 Suspects. The Value Of The Case Was 200 Million Thai Baht.

According to the "National News" of Thailand, on April 28th, Thai Royal Police, Metropolitan Police investigators and the First Provincial Police District jointly conducted a search at an electronic cigarette storage warehouse in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The police detained seven suspects and seized over 20,000 electronic cigarettes and related items, with the total value of the case exceeding 200 million Thai baht (approximately 41.7 million yuan). The police stated that the target of this raid was a large online seller, and a large number of orders were discovered during the operation.
General Niranong Lunsri, the Deputy Chief of the National Police and the Director of the Center for Prevention and Combat of Crimes Related to E-cigarettes and Tobacco Products, said that this warehouse raid operation had dismantled a large online e-cigarette distribution network.
He stated that Metropolitan Police investigators discovered that someone was selling e-cigarettes through a website called "Shisha Chic". After further investigation, the police found the warehouse, seized the stolen goods, and detained seven suspects.
The suspects were charged with violating the "Customs Law" (BE 2560 (2017)) and the "Consumer Protection Law" (BE 2522 (1979)), including jointly selling or providing e-cigarettes, and jointly assisting in concealing, distributing, transporting, purchasing, mortgaging or receiving goods that were knowingly brought into Thailand without completing customs procedures.
The initial interrogation revealed that all seven suspects were employees of the company. Their job was to package electronic cigarettes based on website orders and then collect the products and hand them over to delivery personnel. Every day, a truckload of electronic cigarettes was taken away.
The electronic cigarettes found in the warehouse were stockpiled according to the received orders for online sales. After inspecting the seized computers, it was discovered that the gang handled and delivered over 1,000 items of goods each day, with a daily cash flow of up to several million baht.
Niranong has instructed investigators to expand the scope of the investigation in all aspects and take legal action against the mastermind and all those involved in the criminal network. He also ordered officials to consider taking action in accordance with the "Anti-Money Laundering Act of Buddhist Era 2542 (1999)".
The Royal Thai Police will carry out similar operations across the country to crack down on electronic cigarette networks in various fields, including major distributors, online sellers, and those operating secret brick-and-mortar stores.
Niranong Dong said that this move aims to prevent children and teenagers from coming into contact with electronic cigarettes and effectively cut off the spread of such products, which is in line with the policy of the Thai government. He also urged the public to call the 1599 hotline to report any information related to electronic cigarette sales, whether through illegal brick-and-mortar stores or online channels.