Four Chinese citizens arrested for allegedly selling pirated Starbucks products

The suspects were arrested at a warehouse located in a luxury housing estate in Watcharapol area and an unnamed shop in Khlong Thom Market. Police confiscated 10,000 counterfeit tumblers and mugs, as well as sales records and parcel boxes worth 5 million baht.

The suspects were charged with “having in possession for distribution goods bearing a counterfeit trademark or imitated trademark in order to mislead the public”, the police’s Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) said.

The arrest came after police was tipped off by Starbucks Corporation that pirated versions of the company’s products were being sold by a shop named “Nanan Sale” on the online shopping platform Shopee.

“Following investigation, it was found that the pirated goods were kept in a warehouse located in a luxury housing estate in the Watcharapol area,” the ECD said, adding that the warehouse was owned by a group of Chinese business people.

The suspects have reportedly pleaded guilty to smuggling pirated goods from China and selling them via online platforms. Police are pursuing legal actions against the suspects.