The warning follows Immigration Chief Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn* leading a raid on a warehouse in Pathum Thani where three Chinese national were arrested with more than B15 million in items, mostly pirated goods, seized.
The three men arrested were named as Chen Junqin, Dingnan Wang and Li Hongjing, and found in possession of 5,026 makeup kits, 1,202 electronic devices, 545 items of shoes and clothes and 614 other miscellaneous items – as well as 714 parcels already packed awaiting delivery.
“Don’t become a victim by paying for an unknown delivery!” Gen Surachate posted yesterday (Nov 22).
Gen Surchate specifically warned people not to sign for any deliveries they had not ordered.
“If it is not your order, don’t sign for the delivery! And don’t pay money for the delivery,” he wrote.
Col Eakkachai Siri of teh Phuket Tourist Police confirmed that the warning stands for Phuket
"Gen Surachate issued this warning at a national level, which of course includes Phuket,” he said.
“Anyone who has been caught out by a case like this, please call the Tourist Police hotline 1155,” he added.
“Even if it is small parcel and you are being asked to pay the cost of the delivery. Please don’t accept it,” he warned.
One man in Phuket (who asked not to be named) who nearly became a victim told The Phuket News that he was home alone when a delivery arrived addressed to his brother.
The bill for receiving the parcel was almost B1,000, he noted.
The man called his brother, who said that he did not order the delivery.
His brother also said that there many deliveries started arriving at their home about two to three months ago, but added that he had sent them all back.
In this latest delivery, the man said that he had noticed that the sender was a Chinese name.
After his experience, he posted his story to warn his friends on Facebook.
* Surachate Hakparn was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) and his transfer to the position of Chief of the immigration Bureau were published in the Royal Gazette yesterday.