Thai police seize over 50,000 illegal e-cigarettes worth more than 10 million baht, main suspect arrested in Bangkok

Sep.23

Thai police cracked an illegal e-cigarette smuggling case, seized 50,000 items worth more than 10 million baht (over 310,000 US dollars), arrested several suspects, and cracked down on a cross-border smuggling network.

Key Points:

·Thai police have seized 50,000 illegal e-cigarettes worth over 10 million Thai baht (over 310,000 US dollars).

·The main suspect has been arrested in Bangkok.

2Firsts, September 23, 2025 - According to a report from MGR Online on September 22, Thai authorities have cracked down on a case of illegal e-cigarette smuggling, seizing over 50,000 illegal e-cigarettes with a value of over 10 million Thai baht (over $31,000 USD).

The police stated that the operation was led by the Thai Department of Economic Crime, with several high-ranking officials including Director Pattanasak Bubpasuwan participating. The suspect Pan Panthawong (alias) was arrested at his residence in Bangkok, and a large quantity of illegal e-cigarettes and two vehicles related to the case were seized at the scene.

After an investigation, police discovered that the smuggling network planned to transport a batch of e-cigarette products from a neighboring country to southern Thailand and distribute them to retailers across the country after storing them in a warehouse in Bangkok. Police traced the products to a residential property in Bangkok, which was being used to package and ship them through a private logistics company.

During the operation, authorities searched warehouses storing and distributing the illegal products, expanding the scope of their investigation. Ultimately, more smuggled goods were seized in the Phasicharoen district. The suspects admitted to their roles as distributors in the online network, responsible for distributing e-cigarettes to small retailers in Bangkok and surrounding areas. They have been handed over to investigators from the Department of Special Investigation for Economic and Cyber Crime, and legal action will continue to be pursued against any remaining offenders.

References:

[1] ปคบ.ทลายเครือข่ายบุหรี่ไฟฟ้าสายใต้ ยึดของกลางกว่า 10 ล้าน

Also Read:

[1] Thai police arrested a 28-year-old woman and seized e-cigarettes worth approximately $2,508

[2] Thai police seized 559,000 e-cigarettes worth $2.83 million, including INFY and Escobar brands

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