Massive e-cigarette bust at Bangkok Port
In one of Thailand’s biggest recent crackdowns on vaping products, authorities have seized more than 46,000 illegal e-cigarettes at Bangkok Port, worth over 10 million baht.
The operation was announced on December 11 at the Bangkok Port Customs Office. The haul consisted of 46,260 mixed flavours disposable e-cigarettes, discovered on December 4, hidden inside seven abandoned cargo containers. The seized items were smuggled from foreign origins and were packed for illegal distribution within Thailand.
Officials say the operation is part of a wider push to protect young people from a silent threat. The government has promised to take stronger legal action against the smuggling and sale of e-cigarettes, which are banned in Thailand but continue to slip through the cracks.
Minister Santi Piyatat, speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office, described the devices as a serious public health concern, especially among teenagers. He said the government is working to block illegal products at their source and dismantle smuggling networks at every level. The aim is to protect public health and create a safe and sustainable society, he added.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Customs Department led the inspection and are now investigating the case further to track down the people behind the operation.
Police Lieutenant General Rutthaphon Naowarat, the Minister of Justice, said authorities would use every legal option possible to identify and prosecute those responsible, whether sellers, users, or backers of the network.
Consumer protection officials also highlighted that the success of the operation shows the value of government agencies working together. They warned that e-cigarettes continue to pose a health threat to young people in Thailand, and said the crackdown is part of a long-term strategy to stop illegal products before they reach the market.
Khaosod reported that the seized e-cigarettes remain in official custody as the investigation continues.
In a similar effort to protect public health, The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to increase participation in its work-from-home programme to 300,000 people next year in an effort to reduce PM2.5 air pollution across the city.
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