Illegal drugs found at 3 Bangkok houses rented by Chinese nationals
Raid discovered a range of illegal items including herbal products and cosmetics that could harm the health of consumers who purchased them
Over 100-million-baht worth of e-cigarettes, Viagra pills and several unregistered medicines were discovered during a raid on three houses in Soi Pracha Rat Bamphen 17 in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district on Wednesday.
The raid was a joint operation by the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and was a follow-on from the case which saw a group of Chinese nationals arrested in Bangkok earlier this month.
Police believed that the group, who had entered Thailand on student visas and rented three houses in the same neighbourhood, had connections to transnational crime networks.
Dr Withid Sariddeechaikool, the FDA's deputy secretary-general, said that the seized drugs included herbal products and cosmetics which have not been registered with the FDA. He added that these products could severely harm consumers were they to be released on the market.
Pol Maj Gen Noppasin Poonsawat, MPB deputy commissioner, said that investigators have contacted the Chinese Embassy to track down the rest of the gang members, who are believed to still be in China.
He also urged the public to look out for suspicious behaviours of foreigners in their neighbourhoods and alert the police of any illegal activity by calling hotline 191.
