Police in Chanthaburi launched a significant crackdown on illegal e-cigarette sales, confiscating over 3 million baht worth of contraband and discovering that children as young as 12 are purchasing and using these products openly.
Under the supervision of Assistant Minister of Public Health Thanakrit Jittarareerat, the operation was conducted by a team of officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division, local police, administrative officials, and public health officers. They raided ten e-cigarette shops throughout Chanthaburi province.
The targeted locations included several branches of a prominent retail chain across nine districts and a private residence in the Koh Khwang subdistrict.
The team arrested multiple suspects during the operation, who are all currently under investigation. The seized contraband included a large number of illegal e-cigarettes, collectively valued at over 3 million baht.
Assistant Minister Thanakrit, along with the officials, later presented the seized items and suspects in a press conference. He revealed that the crackdown stemmed from a directive by Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, who has been leading efforts to combat illegal e-cigarette sales in the country.
The operation secured search warrants for the ten targeted locations and discovered numerous illegal sales operations. The investigation revealed that the local e-cigarette market generates nearly 20 million baht per month.
Alarmingly, there were reports of children as young as 12 years old using e-cigarettes. Some products have even been modified to resemble cartoon characters, making them more attractive to young users and harder for parents to detect. These products are sold for around 200 to 300 baht each, reported KhaoSod.
In related news, cyber police raided two key locations, dismantling a major e-cigarette network and seizing over 80,000 items worth more than 17 million baht. Two suspects were apprehended, claiming they were merely caretakers.
Earlier today, June 20, at the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) headquarters in Mueang Thong Thani, TCSD Commissioner, Navin Sengsomwong, alongside relevant police authorities and representatives from the National Tobacco Products Control Committee announced the results of Operation Smokeless.
Thailand News