Fake goods raids set vendors running

PATONG: Police seized about 500 items of fake goods with a street value of 500,000 baht in raids on two Patong stalls last night as the crackdown on imitation products continued. The people selling the goods ran off. Led by Deputy Director of Phuket Commercial Affairs, Tharadol Thongruang, officers moved in on one stall near the Holiday Inn at 9 pm and another stall near the Royal Paradise Hotel at 11:30 pm. Most of the items were imitation Polo brand T-shirts, with long and short sleeves. K. Tharadol told the Gazette that imitation goods on sale had decreased dramatically to about 10% of what was on sale before the crackdown began in June. But he added, “I’m afraid that if our team stops pushing the owners, as we do almost every night, they will sell fake goods again. There are still many big investors left.” Police have so far been unable to find the owners of items seized from two stalls at Kata on August 6.