According to a report from Thairath on August 19th, recently the police in Chiang Mai, Thailand launched a raid and successfully busted a large-scale e-cigarette selling operation, seizing over 30,000 e-cigarette products.
On August 19th at 10:30 am, the Deputy Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police, Nirand Lueamsri, and the Director of the Special Police Bureau, Vitthaya Sriprasertphap, held a press conference to announce details of the recent arrest operation.
According to reports, a total of 31,790 e-cigarette products were seized in this operation, with an estimated value of approximately 10 million Thai Baht (290,000 USD). The police conducted an online investigation and discovered a website, https://yaivapeth.com, which was selling various e-cigarettes and accessories through a LINE account " @YAIVAPETH", and delivering them nationwide through a private courier company.
After detailed tracking of funds and logistics, Thai police finally identified a residence in the Pai Village of Chiang Mai as a stronghold.
After nearly a month of investigation, the police obtained a search warrant from the Chiang Mai Provincial Court and arrested a 38-year-old suspect named Saranyu Kavilawong. In his residence, the police found a total of 31,790 various types of e-cigarette products and accessories.
The suspect confessed that he is not only the owner of these e-cigarettes, but also the website administrator responsible for online sales and order processing.
The website has been in operation for 4 years, with a monthly cash flow of 10 million Thai Baht (290,000 USD). Police have charged it with multiple crimes including illegal sales of e-cigarettes and accessories, evasion and aiding tax evasion.
The police stated that they will continue to investigate the import and export channels of e-cigarettes, and if they find any involvement in smuggling, additional money laundering charges may be filed.
According to police statistics, a total of 18 large-scale e-cigarette sales points have been dismantled this year. Over 100,000 e-cigarette products have been seized, with a total value exceeding 1 billion Thai baht ($2.9 million).
According to the report, a variety of e-cigarette products were seized in this operation, some of which were in cartoon shapes and could provide 5,000 to 9,000 puffs per device, with the highest priced one offering up to 16,000 puffs, priced between 300 (8.7 USD) to 500 Thai Baht (14.5 USD) each. Most of these e-cigarettes originate from China, imported through Malaysia, where e-cigarettes are not illegal. Subsequently, these e-cigarettes enter Thailand through natural channels or customs declarations as other goods.
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