Illegal factory busted in Bangkok, over 30 million baht of fake drugs seized

Officers from the Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Bureau (IDMB) recently conducted a raid on an illegal factory in the Tungkru district of Bangkok following a tip-off about the production of multiple fake drugs, including counterfeit Viagra, painkillers, and petroleum jelly.

IDMB police officers, together with officials from the Ministry of Public Health, arrived at the illegal factory in Soi Pracha Uthit 76 at 4pm yesterday, September 10. Officers met the 55 year old factory owner, Somsak, who denied any involvement in the counterfeit drug production, claiming all the illegal products belonged to a friend.

The IDMB reported that the raid was conducted following the misuse of a prescription painkiller Tramadol, which has been used recreationally by teenagers in Thailand. Police noticed the increased availability of this painkiller and traced its source back to this factory.

Further investigation revealed that the factory supplied more than 84,000 tramadol tablets to the market, significantly aiding its accessibility. Additionally, the factory also produced other fake medical products, including Viagra, antiflatulence medication, fruit and vegetable wash liquid, and petroleum jelly.

During the raid, officers discovered two main warehouses. The first warehouse was used to store various products, while the second was used for the production of fake medicine.

As part of their efforts to combat fake drugs in Bangkok, officers seized illegal products worth over 30 million baht in the operation, including:

• 44,000 tablets of methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin, a Category 2 psychotropic substance
• 2,900 tablets of counterfeit Viagra
• Fake herbal products
• 2.7 million tablets of tramadol
• 20,000 bottles of fruit and vegetable wash contaminated with harmful chemicals
• Counterfeit petroleum jelly

Officers noted that the medicine production process was unhygienic, as they discovered a dead lizard in the petroleum jelly that was awaiting packaging.

Somsak continued to deny any involvement in the illegal medicine production and refused to answer police questions. However, his presence at the factory led to an initial charge of possession of Category 2 psychotropic substances with intent to sell.

The Commander of the IDMB, Theeradate Thammasuthee, issued a warning to the public not to buy medicine from random online stores. He advised people to choose pharmacies with qualified pharmacists to ensure that the medicines they purchase are legal and of high quality.