The raid was announced by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat on Sunday (June 16), said a report posted on the Royal Thai Government national news page.
Governor Sophon said a tip-off had been brought to his attention, leading to him ordering Phuket Vice Governor Sattha Thongkham to take action. In turn, Phuket Provincial Palad (Chief Administrative Officer) Suwit Suriyawong along with Muang Phuket District Chief Worasit Putjeeb and Kathu District Chief Theeraphong Chuaychu were also instructed to take action.
Phuket Provincial Defense Office Chief Akara Suwatthikul was instructed to coordinate the investigation and the raids, which was mainly conducted with the help of and security personnel from the Volunteer Defense Corps (OrSor).
Krit Thepbamrung, head of the Phuket office of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), was also brought into the operation to investigate “to prevent and suppress the sale of Illegal electronic cigarettes at these two shops”.
At a rented house in Soi Kuku, off Ratsada Nusorn Rd in Moo 3, Ratsada, officers armed with a warrant issued on June 13 searched the premises and seized 25 e-cigarettes, 229 pieces e-cigarette suction tips and 257 packs of cigarettes.
One suspect, not named in the report, was arrested, with B397 in cash also seized.
At the ‘The Weed Club’ on Rath-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd in Patong, officers armed with another search warrant also issued on June 13 seized 482 e-cigarettes, 787 e-cigarette tips and 74 bottles of e-cigarette liquid.
One Myanmar employee was arrested at the shop, the report confirmed.
The man arrested in Ratsada was taken to Phuket City Police Station and charged, while the Myanmar man arrested in Patong was taken to Patong Police Station and charged, the report added.
The man arrested in Ratsada has been charged with possession of goods for which taxes have not been paid or have not been fully paid, as per Section 203 of the Excise Act of 2017, and with selling goods for which taxes have not been paid or have not been fully paid, as per Section 204 of the Excise Act of 2017.
Both the man arrested in Ratsada and the Myanmar man arrested in Patong have been charged with the following offenses:
- Concealing, helping to sell, helping to transport, buying, pawning, or receiving illegal items in any way, which is an offense under Section 242 of the Customs Act B.E. 2017 (as defined by Section 246 of the Act).
- Violating Section 4 of the Ministry of Commerce’s 2014 announcement regarding the regulation of hookahs and electronic hookahs or electronic cigarettes, which prohibits these products from being imported into the Kingdom.
- Selling baraku products, electric baraku, electronic cigarettes, baraku medicine, or liquid for refilling electric hookahs or electronic cigarettes, in violation of the Consumer Protection Board’s Order No. 9/2015, which prohibits the sale or provision of services related to these products.
The Myanmar man arrested in Patong was also charged with illegally performing work “beyond their rights to do so”.
The report made no mention of any charges against the business operator or any level of management at ‘The Weed Club’.