Major e-cigarette dealer in Thailand caught, 50 million baht assets seized
Crackdown exposes vast underground vape network
A major online electronic cigarette dealer with a nationwide customer base has been apprehended, with assets worth over 50 million baht seized. The operation, led by Deputy Commissioner General Prajuab Wongsuk and other police officials, uncovered a central distribution office in Bangkok.
Yesterday, May 28, police arrested 41 year old Thonnon at a commercial building on Sukhabhiban 2 Road, in Prawet district, Bangkok. The arrest yielded over 100,000 various types of electronic cigarettes valued at more than 50 million baht (US$1.52 million).
The operation followed the discovery of a secret online group named Nai Kheaw Kajee, suspected of being a major distributor of electronic cigarette pods and devices across Thailand. These products were primarily delivered through private courier services to avoid detection.
Investigations revealed that the business rented a commercial building in the Cape Bizsector project on Sukhabhiban 2 Road, used as an office and storage for packaging and dispatching goods. After gathering sufficient evidence, police obtained a court warrant to search the premises.
Upon arrival, they found the building, consisting of two adjoining four-storey units, converted into a storage warehouse. The shelves were filled with boxes of various electronic cigarettes, and approximately 10 employees were busy packaging items.
Thonnon admitted that the electronic cigarettes were his, purchased from a Chinese supplier to distribute to small retailers and interested customers online. He had been running this business for over two years, earning an average of 300,000 to 500,000 baht (US$9,135 to 15,220) daily. Financial investigations revealed that over the past year, Thonnon’s operations had a turnover exceeding 100 million baht (US$3 million).
Initially, Thonnon faces charges of jointly distributing electronic cigarettes and liquid without customs clearance. He, along with the seized items, has been handed over to the Division 1 Economic Crime Suppression Division for further legal proceedings.
In similar news, police arrested a couple who were selling electronic cigarettes laced with illegal drugs from their home. The raid, carried out on April 8 under the leadership of Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, uncovered a large stash of drugs and related paraphernalia at their residence in Sai Mai, Bangkok.
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