More counterfeit goods seized

PATONG: Acting on a tipoff, a Kathu Police special investigation unit on May 16 raided a storeroom at the OTOP Market on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd, seizing counterfeit goods valued at an estimated two million baht and arresting a young Burmese woman.

Kathu Police Inspector Lt Col Serm Kwannimit, who led the raid at about 5 pm, said a 24-year-old Burmese woman identified only as “Davie” admitted to renting the unit to store counterfeit goods she had bought from an agent in Bangkok. The goods were used to supply various retailers in Patong, she said.

Among the goods seized were 300 shoulder bags with designer labels, including Prada, Gucci and Luis Vuitton. Other pirate goods included 200 belts, 100 scarves and 100 wallets. The booty was taken back to Kathu Police Station as evidence in the case, Col Serm said.

Police found the woman’s initial story that she was the sole owner of all the goods difficult to believe, he said.

She later told police she had arrived in Patong three months ago with a partner she described as a “Burmese-Pakistani” woman. Both women had documents allowing them to work in Thailand as housekeepers, she said.

Today, the suspect was still being held at Phuket Provincial Court, awaiting charges of selling goods in violation of copyright law.