Bangkok: Three ministers jointly announced the results of the seizure of more than 200,000 electronic cigarettes smuggled from China, worth more than 33 million baht, with cooperation from the DSI, Royal Thai Police, and the Customs Department, along with a summary of the results of the 3 months of 2025, seizing almost 100 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, at 3:00 p.m., Ms. Jiraporn Sindhuphrai, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, Mr. Chulaphan Amornvivat, Deputy Minister of Finance, along with Pol. Maj. Col. Yutthana Praedam, Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation, Pol. Gen. Prachuap Wongsuk, Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, Pol. Lt. Gen. Akkaradej Pimolsri, Assistant Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, and Mr. Thirach Attanavanich, Director-General of the Customs Department, jointly held a press conference on the response to the policy of suppressing e-cigarettes, seizing over 200,000 e-cigarettes crossing the border, worth over 33 million baht.
Previously, there were arrests of over 900 suspects for illegally selling e-cigarettes, causing damages of over 85 million baht. The investigation has been continuously expanded, and recently, the Customs Department received news from the DSI that a large shipment of illegal goods would be sent through Thailand to a neighboring country. Therefore, the containers were seized and a cargo manifest was requested, but the origin canceled the cargo manifest submission. Therefore, the Customs Department seized the containers of evidence. After the 15-day seizure period, the Customs Department used its authority to open all 5 containers, finding 1 container of illegal goods, which was declared as electronic devices, medical devices, car parts, and other machinery, totaling 1,173 boxes. However, the inspection found 210,300 illegal items, including 6,000 disposable e-cigarettes, 6,000 e-cigarette liquids, 190,100 e-cigarette pods, and 8,200 e-cigarette devices with liquids, with a total value of over 33 million baht.
The containers were sent to the LCMT (A0) port from China to Myanmar. The goods were imported through Laem Chabang Port and will be inspected and released at Mae Sot Customs. It is believed that the goods were sent overseas to avoid inspection. These illegal goods will then be returned to the country and sold to minors.
Ms. Jiraporn said that on February 25, 2025, Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra, the Prime Minister, ordered an urgent suppression of e-cigarettes that were prevalent among young people. Therefore, there was a meeting with many agencies to seal the border to prevent imports from abroad. There was also a strict crackdown on physical stores and online stores. In the operation from February 26 to March 9, more than 900 offenders were arrested, more than 700,000 items of evidence were seized, with damages worth more than 85 million baht. In Thailand, e-cigarettes are not produced because they are illegal. If it is found that there is smuggling or smuggling, legal action will be taken to the fullest extent of the law.
Mr. Chulaphan added that in 2023, e-cigarettes worth 97 million baht were seized, in 2024, 120 million baht was seized, and in 2025, from January to March, almost 100 million baht was seized. Customs will be strict about the case and will not negotiate to suspend the case.
DSI Pol. Lt. Col. Yutthana said that this is an offense under the Customs Act, a prohibited item under the announcement of the Ministry of Commerce, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act. After the seizure of the evidence, it will be kept at the Customs Department and the investigation will be expanded to the main culprit. As for consumers, recently it has been found that tourists have entered Thailand with e-cigarettes. We have been intensively publicizing that this is illegal to reduce wrongdoing in the country, but we are still building confidence in tourism.
