Police seize e-cigarettes disguised as toys worth 10 million baht

Police raided a warehouse belonging to the major northern Thai online e-cigarette dealer, YAI VAPE, seizing 30,000 items worth 10 million baht. The police found the e-cigarettes disguised as toys to avoid detection by parents and teachers. The Ministry of Public Health is pushing for legislative changes to close legal loopholes.

Thai police conducted a press conference today to announce the arrest of a major online e-cigarette dealer in northern Thailand. The raid, led by Police Lieutenant General Nirundorn Luemsri and other high-ranking officials, resulted in the seizure of 31,790 e-cigarette products worth approximately 10 million baht.

These items were disguised to look like toys, raising concerns about their appeal to youth and the potential to evade detection by parents and teachers.

Pol. Lt. Gen. Nirundorn revealed that the investigation began with the discovery of the website yaivapeth.com, which advertised e-cigarettes and related products, offering delivery services nationwide.

Further investigation led the police to a house in Pa Phai, San Sai District, Chiang Mai Province, where a significant stockpile of e-cigarettes and accessories was found. The owner, identified only as Saran Yu, confessed to running the business for about four years, said Pol. Lt. Gen. Nirundorn.

“The packaging of the e-cigarettes was designed to increase their usage time and to disguise them as collectable toys. This is particularly worrying because it might help young people hide these products from their parents and teachers.”

E-cigarette dealers

In the past year, police arrested 18 major e-cigarette dealers and seized over 100,000 items worth more than 100 million baht. Despite these efforts, the problem persists due to existing legal limitations, which involve multiple agencies such as the Public Health Act, Customs, and trademark laws.

Thanakrit Jitarareerat, an advisor to the Minister of Public Health, emphasized the need for stronger legislation to control the import and sale of e-cigarettes. The ministry is working on proposing a new e-cigarette control law to empower authorities to crack down on importers, sellers, and even possessors of e-cigarettes, said Thanakrit.

“Even though the police have been proactive in raiding e-cigarette distribution points, the issue of importation and sale remains.

“Current laws are limited, and enforcement is spread across various agencies, creating gaps in authority. The Ministry of Public Health aims to push for comprehensive legislation to address these gaps.”

The proposed law seeks to grant officials the authority to prosecute all parties involved in the e-cigarette trade, from importers to end-users. This move is seen as essential to curbing the rising trend of e-cigarette use among youth and preventing the health risks associated with it.

The Thai police’s ongoing efforts highlight the complexity of regulating e-cigarettes, which are often marketed in ways that make them appealing and accessible to younger populations. The new legislation aims to provide clear guidelines and stronger enforcement mechanisms to tackle the issue more effectively.