Pattaya raid: 20 year old arrested for selling kratom to teens
A dramatic raid in the early hours of April 1 has led to the arrest of a 20 year old woman and the seizure of illegal kratom beverages. The operation, led by Bang Lamung District Chief Patcharapat Sritanyanon, uncovered a shop in Pattaya’s Village 8 selling kratom drinks to minors.
The raid followed complaints from locals about a shop, Bak Khon Sua, which was allegedly selling kratom beverages to teenagers and allowing on-site consumption.
Acting swiftly, Deputy District Officer Kamphrai Laosaen, alongside the Bang Lamung Territorial Defense Volunteers, conducted an undercover operation. An agent successfully purchased kratom from the shop, prompting officers to swoop in on the premises.
Upon arrival, officers were stunned to find over 20 teenagers, both male and female, seated around picnic-style tables, drinking bottles of kratom, with ice buckets and containers scattered around. Inside the shop, more kratom beverages were found stored in a refrigerator, ready for sale.
The shop, which also served as a small grocery store and casual hangout spot, had bottles of kratom drinks packaged in clear plastic, with various fruit-flavoured scents.
Police also uncovered an illicit mix of cough syrup and kratom, along with a stash of illegal cigarettes.
Kanyarat, the 20 year old woman who identified herself as the shop’s caretaker, was arrested. She faces multiple charges under Thailand’s Food Act of 1979, including the sale of unlicensed kratom beverages.
Officers confiscated 150 bottles of kratom, each holding 1.5 litres, as well as a ledger detailing transactions.
Kratom, which was decriminalised in Thailand in 2022, is still heavily regulated, and selling it requires proper licences, especially when minors are involved.
Kanyarat was handed over to Bang Lamung Police Station for further legal proceedings, reported The Pattaya News.
The raid has raised serious concerns about the ongoing issue of kratom being sold to teenagers, and authorities are reminding the public that while kratom is legal, selling it without proper authorisation, especially to minors, is a serious offence.
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